St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-02-12
LA GASCOGNE.

to replace the brass Innings which were
continually wearing lout under the
strain. All would have gone well, but
for terrible storm which beset the
disabled vessel on the fourth inst.
1t struck us while we We're lying to to
make repairs. The vessel pitched and
tossed frightfully in the gale and for
the first time since the breakdown the
passengers began to feel uneasy. The
engineers were unable to work, be-
cause of the violent tossing of the
ship.
at was impossible to handle the
heavy pieces of machinery. For forty
one hours the vessel lay to while the
engineers did their utmost to make
temporary repairs again. 1t was i'm
possible to mako as perfect job as
at first, owing to the constant increase
in the extent of the arrangement to
the machinery and from a speed OF
25O miles which we were able to make
: after the first break down, we had to
reduce to 100 miles a day. This made
progress exceedingly slow and we were
further impeded by the constantly
recurring gales. The weather was
; frightful
"a gale burdened with sleet and snow
came out of the west with terrific force,
and the vessel pitched and tossed in
the ferment. Passengers and crew
realized the
SERIOUSNESS OF OUR POSITION
then, and for the first time signals of
distress were displayed. We signed by
c;r Ic hot Iicn hlp1 hi1t If
was not until yesterday that we sight
ed and signalled a vessel. She was too
far away to understand that we re-
quired assistance. But for the storm
the passengers would not have eX-
pressed any anxiety. We were fire.
quently beset by gales, which at times
threatened to founder the vessel. l
never saw or experienced such storms
and the realizat ton that we were aboard
a disabled vessel in terrible storms
made many, of us very gloomy, indeed.
We cannot say too much in praise of
the captain and officers, who behaved
manfuliy, and did all in their power to
make our lot as comfortable as posi-
ble."
1t was after midnight when La Gas
sogne reached the bar where she an
chored for the night. She was met
there by the Chapman cOmpany's der
rick tug Hustler and will lay there all
night, and will bring the vessel up to
her dock this morning. Mr. Day has
made preparations to clear the ship
as soon as possible, and she will doubt
less
REACH HER DOCK AT A. NJ.
1t was just $50 p. M when the World
reporter on the tug Vosberg scanning
the horizon off Fire Island with a
powerful marine glass caught the glim-
mer of light far away to the east
ward 1t was so faint and flicker
ing that for a time the reporter was
uncertain whether it really was a light
or an illusion bred of oVerstrained and
anxious vision.
But it was a light. AS steadily as
the Vosberg plowed through the curl
ing water the mere bit luminous haze
seen at first was focused in the field
of the marine glass into a cleaning
point. The tiny light grew brighter
momentarily A ship was coming in
undoubtedly. But was it La Gascogne?
The Vosburg has been chasing lights
for a week, which all proved to be will
o'-the-wisps as far as La Gascogne
was concerned. It was the Vosburg's
business, however, to speak every ship
that might bear a message from or of
La Gascogne.
Half an hour after the first glimpse
of the light the World man on the Vos-
burg made out three red lights at the
masthead of the incomer. There was