The Portland daily press., 1899-02-22
ARRIVED SAFELY.
But the Helene Rlokmsrs Had a Tough
Experience.


-
. The Hamburg American steamship
Helene Riokmers. Captain Rubbelmand,
arrived In port at Z O'Clock yesterday
morning An officer made this state
ment:
1--WE sailed from Hamburg ON the 20th
day OF January at p. m. We passed
the Lizsrd with a south, southesst wind
at +. IN. the Gath. 1t was then blowing
hard. On the 9Th the wind shifted to
the north and IL began to rain. On the
Goth IL was blowing from the south,
southeast and during the night the lowest
barometer was 5lSs The wind veerei
slowly around to the west and then to
the northwest At / p. m. IL was blow
ing q hurricane.
January 30, about 1. 30 In the after
noon we were getting 1t in good shape.
Way aft. lashed to the deck, was q spare
propeller which had been there eight
years. We were rolling terribly and the
first thing we knew the propeller was torn
rom Its iashines and began threshing
a out the deck. 1t punched holes wherever
the ians struck and IL was chopping
things up in good shape. Suddenly the
snip gave lurch ana the propeller was
dashed against the port side Of the steam
er. 1t went through IL as II 10 had been
paper and struck the ocean with n splash,
sinking from view forever. 1t smashed
out ten foot hole from the iron side
where 1t went through.
About this time two big dredging
anchors broke away from their lashings
and played a lively game of tag around
tho deck. They succeeded in punching
several holes before they could be secured
were ripped of the deck and twisted into
uureoog nizable masses of sheet iron.
The ship was light, you know, having
nothing but a little dirt ballast. As shs
rose and fell a draught Of air was created
inside which burst off the matches. This
gale lasted until the 3lst. Tho next morn
Ing the wind was northeast and 1t was
showing and hailing.
"we put men at work repairing
damages and they found enough to occupy
them some time. Planks were laid over
the holes in the deck and spiked down.
Over these canvas was stretched and
fastened to the deck thus making tempo
rary patches that kept out the water when
big sens broke over us.
February 2, the barometer went down
TO 706. 8 and in the afternoon another gale
struck US. This lasted until the afternoon
OF the next day. The matches we're again
blown of and one of the life boats carried
can see on the deck was smashed all to
pieces Her back is completely broken
nd she is only good for kindlipg wood.
We rolled in the trough of the sea for
hours unable to make any headway.
Eight days out we were In longitude 81
degrees As minutes, and i3 days out our
longitude was 40 degrees, So minutes
west. There were IA days that We only
made eighty times"
The above passage IL practically as II
is recorded on the ships log, but in addi-
ton are several minor matters. A huge
wave swept over the bridge and carried
the bridge compass overheard. In the
rudder house a steering gear chain parted
and thrashed about at its own pleasure.
IL knocked down wooden partition and
got into small store room where there
was barrel of black paint 1t did not
take that loose end of chain long to knock
the barrel TO pieces and in about three
minutes everything within tie reach Of
the chain was daubed with black paint.
Ports were smashed in and s,anchions
tent and twisted. Altogether it was one
Of the worst experiences anyone on board
had ever encountered.
This is the first time Helene Rickmers
has ever heen TO this port, she having
been formerly in the China trade. This
is the only tip she will make here.