The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1899-12-07
A TERRIBLE VOYAGE.
Soldiers Passed Buckets for Days to save
Transport-Ship Rolled In
TypIhoon.

SOiulerS Fnssed BuCketS Tor DAYS lO Saw
Transport-ship Rolled in n
TypIioon.
| Manila, (By Cable )-The transport Man
auense, with three companies OF the Thirty-
| first Infantry, commanded by Col. James D.
| Petit, on board, has arrived here, after
terrible trip. Lieut. Col Webb Hayes, son
Of ex-Prcsidcnt Hayes was also on the
| ship.
The officers and soldiers were for IL days
baiing with buckets and boxes. inc
steamer, they say, was unseaworthy, un-
dermanned and short of provisions. Her
engines broke down, and she rolled three
days In typhoon.
When the Manauenso anchored In Manila
bay 80 days after her departure from San
Francisco there were several feet OF water
in her hold. Four hundred grimy. greasy,
hungry and exhausted soldiers and sailors
had been passing buckets OF water since
November II night and day. First Assist
ant Engineer Dunleavy was under arrest,
and, according to Colonel Hayes official
report, the chief engineer would also have
been under arrent II thcro had been anyone
TO replace him.
The Colonel's report also states that tho
captain of the vessel told him that the only
thing which brought them through was the
fact that tho men were greenhorns and
fuilcd to realize their danger, while eXper-
fenced seamen would have deserted the ship
and taken to the boats In midocean.
The Maneucnse Is chartered ship flying
the British flag She belongs to firm OF
which United States Senator Perkins, OF
San Francisco. is alleged to be a junior
member The officers also allege that the
firm bought her for $45 900. and that efforts
were made to sell her to to the Government
for much higher figure. She start I'd from
San Francisco accompanied by the trans
port Pekin, which carried the remainder OF
the Thirty-irst Infantry After starting it
developed that she was undermanned and
soldiers had to be detailed to act as flremen,
coal-passers and walters.
Before reaching Honolulu the crew con-
cluded thai the ship was not safe, and the
majority agreed TO desert Though they
were closely watched, many OF thom sue
ceeded in getting away, and tho Manauense
loft Honolulu with less than half her crew.
The captain Of the transport told Colonel
Hayes on November II that the vessel had
sprung leak, and an investigation resulted
in finding several feet Of water In her hold.
The steam pumps were tried, but failed to
work, and there were no hand pumps ON
board.
Forty-six buckets were found, others were
improvised. and the. soldiers not employed
in working the ship were organized into lvo
shifts Stripped and forming lines, they be-
gan baihng, the officers working with the
men, passing the buckets, which were sent
up to the deck by windlass.
The longest time shift could stand was
two hours and often the period was not
longer than half an hour. The bailing con-
tinued until the ship anchored here.
The same day the leak was discovered the
machinery collapsed. The electric lighting
plant and evaporatng, dstilling and re-
frigerating apparatus failed to work. There
were no lamps, and the few candles found
were exhausted after few days.
The typhoon lasted three days, and in the
midst OF 1t the engines stopped. The officers
then held Il council and found that there
were 42O persons on board, with lifeboat ac-
commodations for only 213.
Colonel Petit ordered the Ma1auense to
proceed to Guam and await relief, but the
captain OF the Manauense demurred the
officers say, because the Government was
renting the ship for $500 day.
The engines were repaired, but through
out the remainder of the voyage they failed
ircquently. Inc snip WOulu roll Tor u lew
hours while the engines were being repaired
again. Then she would proceed again for
few hours.
The meat and vegetables rotted because
OF the failure Of the reirigerators, and were
thrown overheard. After the storm the
water supplied to the ship at Honolulu had
to DO used for the boilers, and there was
little or none for drinking.
1t is said that during the last week of the
voyage the men lived almost entirely OH
whisky, beer and hardtack.
The officers and soldiers were utterly eX-
haustcd when they reached Manila. 1t is
said by the officers that the behavior Of the
troops was beyond praise. For days the
men worked in the dark, suffocatng hold
with water sometimes up to their shoulders
and panks washing about in a manner dan
gerous to life and limb. The officers took
the lead in bailing and encouraged the men.
The regiment will proceed to Zamboanga
on the Pekin to garrison several ports on the
Island OF Mindanao.
The hospital ship Missouri has arrived
here.