New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-17
SIGHTED TWO WATERSPOUTS
ITALIANS on AN IMMIGRANT SHIP BADLY
FRIGHTENED
THE sPoUTs APPEARED N THE MIDST OF
SEVERE ELECTRICAL sTORM-A RE-
MARKABLE DISPLAY.


Tho Fabre Line steamship Neustra sighted
couple of waterspouts several days out from
port and as a result she arrived here yesterday
with 400 badly scared Italian immigrants aboard
sorted at Ellis Island. The vessel left
Naples On July 90 and all went we'll until August
H. when she into a electric storm in lat
itude IS 80, longitude &C 40 To the westward the
sky darkened until it became of almost inky
hue, obscurng everything the horizon except
when vivid flashes of lightning caused a bright
glare. At the height of the electrical display the
terrified lookout shouted in French: "A water
spout on the port bow. about two miles away
Through his glasses Captain BRAND anxousy
watched the whirng OF water, which was
rapidly approaching the Ncustra. In describing it
he said that the water formed huge cone whose
top appeared to be lost in the clouds II about
thirty feet at the base and four feet at the waist
or thlnnest part. The water around 1t foam
ing and tumbling and as II approached the vessel
a peculiar Kissing sound could be heard. The
founded Italians gathered the deck wept.
screamed and prayed as II they thought their doom
had come.
Hardly had the first spout become plainly discern
iblc the port bow, when the cry OF the lookout.
"A waterspout on the starboard bow" caused the
officers 10 look in that direction where another
column OF water. only smaller than the other. was
plainly visible. Like the first. its base was mass
Of angry and troubled water and its head was lost
the terrifying kissing noise and by remarkable
electrical displays. The smaller waterspout passed
astern about two miles distant and lost TO the
view OF those aboard the steamship The first
spout looked If II was heading directly for the
slp but Just before reaching the vessel the column
suddenly veered and passed on the port beam about
300 yards away. Captain BRAND and his officers
were kept busy watching both Of the watery freaks
but lust as the smaller disappeared off TO lee
ward the greater one broke with a resounding
about one mile astern. II grand but fearful
SIKH 10 those aboard the immigrant ship. and *
brought terror to the souls OF those who had never
before witnessed such a phenomenon. Captain
BRAND has twenty-five or more waterspouts
since he began going TO sea but he said yesterday
that the one that first sighted BY the lookout
was the largest and worst looking that he had
sighted II. all his experience.
fie was much concerned at the time for the poor
ror and the crew had great trouble In aaying their
fears even after the danger had passed.
Captain Falconcr. the skipper of the British ship
London Hill. which arrived here yesterday 12l days
out from Cochin China. also had vaterspout
story to tell on August the skipper and his first
mate J. G. Cruikshanks, sighted a spout moving
from west east. but It did not approach the ship
and soon disappeared. Two days later another one
was sighted on the starboard quarter, moving rap
idly from east west 1t was heading toward the
London Hill but broke when about mile away.
Neither was OF such size those reported by Cap
tain BRAND and they were not accompanied by
such a fine electrical display.
on Friday. when about 80 miles southeast OF