Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-02-28
SAFE IN PORT.
Continued from page -

| ing COttlu be seen on tltHtr SIDE. The
steamer kept up continual fire of guns
and discharge Of rockets, but no answer
came to their signals. and on Friday the
| captain dispatched a boat containing
| eight men. Il coxswain ana lieutenant.
either to make land or sight a passing
steamer.
That night a fierce gale sprang up ana
heavy seas dashed against the big steam
er on tho banks. The anchor chains
strained and swung and the ship was
tossed about like feather After mid
| night the gale increased in fury ana
| about / O'Clock Saturday morning the
anchor hawser parted with snap and
| the ship drlfted southwark.
| The situation was critical In the cX-
| IRENE. The passengers were terrified at
| the thought of their helpless condition,
| adrift on disabled steamer In mid
| ocean. The current drove them south
! ward at the rate of miles daily. veerng
| again to the southwest. All the while the
steamer kept showing her signals Of dis
tress, but no answering signal came.
| La Champagne drifted in this helpless
condition from Saturday morning, Feb.
10, until Wednesday, the I'D. dread
fear seized on the saloon and the hours
were passed YEARLY. All throughout the
! long day the steamer drlfted and until
the night passengers who had bravely
withstood the experience had almost
| abandoned hope.
Most Of them had retired to their state
rooms when, near midnight, the welcome
clE Io'ln rtt't w., 'ed iG IA o, ..
age. ana every soul on the big ship re-
joiced. Two steamers We're sighted ~
miles away, one diTcctlH before La nam
| La Champagne guns doomed ana her
rockets fared up. and her red fires burned
luridly. The steamer in front gave an
swcrng signals ana bore down rapidly
upon the Champagne. She proved 10 be
the Warren Liner Roman. Capt. Roberts.
| ,ollq1 from I.INtrpOOl to boston.
| The Roman stood by La Champagne
and ~ ! orIork cant. Pnjrnf went aboard
aud made .rr.na.ments with AM pob-
,,. II ,nu, hin5 N thp nearest nnrt
nibj,h nrn,,.d * ha Halifax The pnnnan
| i.ya - ,.ol C.hIe ~ T., (,barnr.acI. III
| p"f ~ ...i ,-d ~, M. - ,
! noon HuI SuaS -" 'iie 49, s'1"hi'iS
Starl'u I"F th.S g"It' .,
/ W 'ht HIst Gay ~ ,.""iIH !aWH'i
| pdiuu 'ill't tIl!'7 ny llt''t "titS va
| "Nltr"H'tu anu Sldlt We many ih;ti
AT J ci"ck. La ohampanee Wa plcked
up \. Ia, %. y I9tE, a. ~ aila rom thdI
point onward II" ifpup!e N"S experienced
| finc weather WAS experienced uhti TO-
DAY "hth 4 5n@" hutrH 9lIu iis up ana
| INC steamers hda !" Il'''J'd Slowly ..,
A SUBSCRIPTION WAS HItde up on nodfd
| Tor the mon Wn" ;" ofaF'iy manned tht
| liirhoat and LETT IN search OF heip an
| tIhr sum 81 -" itahcS wa QUICKLY f"iS '.l
! When tn" Ia Champagne was entering
| Halifax harhor, capt. Poirot was pre-
scented with an address. signed by All the
! passengers, - which n made suitable
! tlt'l Ht''l'NA ifiit- So tIlflitNi - "'i'
| som" 81 the pass myers - 1ttl lhat they
I w"r" sal" IN port that several of them
I wrr" anxious " hay" some one IF inc
I clergy men on board hold service Of
/ thanksgiving.
4 Tn" accident to the La Champagne is
1 Y most serious one ana VIII nee estate
/ tho ship going into dry doc X. When the
| tail end shaft snapped the engines com
! mcuc"d to race at fearful rate and this
! it WAS which caused tn" connecting rod
( to break.
/ The work "f towing the big vessel to
| Halifax WAS not very easy task for
! the Warren Liner Roman, notwithStaud-
/ Ing thar she * not of immense proper
| tons Three times the towing cables were
parted by the heavy pitching of the ship
ana each tim" ii took considerable time
| 10 pass others Finally two large, steel
! lines ANA a massive manila one were con
w ~. brought safely int"@ th3e port