The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-12-08
THIS OUID|)ES Fiction.
The Story of the Trip of the United
States Chartered Transport
Manauense to Manila.
THE MEN DIDN'T REALIZE THEIR DANCER.
TALON Of the rhirty-First NOluu-
tecr~, Under Lieut.-tol. webb
Na>cs BniIcd the ship. tn Keep
Her thont.


Peoria, H.. Nov. 30.-Clerk Rohr
port Manauense anchored in Manila
oay. Tuesday. SO days from San Fran
cisco, there were several feel of water
in her hold, and 400 grimy. greasy.
hungry. exhausted soldiers and sailors,
who had been passing buckets of wa
ter since November IL. night and day.
First Assistant Engineer Dunleyy was
under arrest. and. according 10 Col.
Webb Hayes oniciai report, the chic.
engineer also would have been under
arrest II there had been any one to a.
place him.
Didn't know Their DANCE.
The coloncl's report also declares
that the captain Of the vessel told him
that the only thing which brought
them through was the fact that the
men were greenhorns, and failed 10
realize their danger. while expert
enced seamen would have deserted the
ship and taken to the boats in mid
ocean.
The Manauensc is a chartered ship
flying the British flag. She started
from San Francisco. accompanied by
the transport Pekin, which carried the
remainder of the regiment, and en-
countered heavy seas TO Honolulu,
without accident.
Vessel was Undetermined.
After starting, it developed that she
was undermined, and soldiers had Ia
be detailed to act as tiremen, coal pass
ers and walters, and to do other work.
Before reaching Honolulu. the crew
concluded that the ship was not safe.
and the majority agreed to desert
Though they were closely watched,
many of the crew succeeded in getting
away. and the Manauense left Homo
lulu with less than half her crew. The
captain of the transport, on November
Il, told Col. Hayes that the vessel lad
sprung a leak. and an Investigation re-
suited in finding several feet of water
in her hold.
No Pumps Available.
The steam pumps were tried, but
failed 20 work. and there were no hand
pumps on board. However, 46 buck
cts were found, others were impro-
viscd. and the soldiers were organized
into shifts. and, stripped and forming
lines. they began bailing. the officers
working with the men, passing the
buckets which were sent up to the
deck 10y windlass. The longest time
a shift could stand was two hours, and
often the period was not longer thar
half an hour. The bailing being coa-
tinued until the ship anchored here.
Machinery Collapsed.
The same day the leak was discov-
cred. the machinery collapsed, and the
electric lighting plant and eyaporat-
ing, dstilling and refrigerating APP
paratus failed 10 work. There were
no lamps. and the few candles
found were exhausted after few days.
During the last week of the passage.
the Manaucnse was in utter darkness
( at night.
She had been rolling in heavy seas
all the way. but November % she en-
,ountered typhoon and pitched and
tossed alarmingly.
In Typhoon.
The Pekin became separated from
the Manauense in the storm. The wa
ter rose rapidly and the bailing forco
was doubled. But the buckets were
gradually smashed. and barrels and
boxes were substituted for them. the
men working in darkness, planks and
pieces OF iron shafting being VIC
lently dashed among them. The fire.
men could only feed the fires by being
lifted on the shoulders of the other
men. through water waist deep.
Engines FniIcd Frequently.
Throughout the remainder of the
VOYAGE the engines of the Manauense
failcd frequently. and the ship rolled
for a few hours while the engines were
repairing. Then the steamer would
pitch again for few hours.
The meat and vegetables rJtted be.
cause of the failure Of the rcfrigers
tors. and were thrown overheard.
After the storm, the water supplied
10 the ship at Honolulu had To be used
for the boilers. and there was little OF
none for drinking. In fact, il Is as
serted that during the last week OF
the voyage the men lived almost en-
tirely on whisky. beer and bareback
All Were Exhausted.
The officers and soldiers were utter
| " exhausted when they reached Ma
Mia They declare the engineers wer,
grossly incompetent. The officers also
say that the behavior of the troops
was beyond praise. For days they
worked in the dark. suflocating hold
with water sometimes up to theii
shoulders. and planks washing about
in a manner dangerous to life and
limb. The officers took the lead IL
bailing, and encouraged the men.
sruryry Captain.
The captain Of the ship promised
the men % cents day for bailing
but he now proposes 10 pay them
merely Si.jO per man. The soldiers
talk of libcling the ship.
The regiment will proceed to Zam
boanga on the Pekin. to garrison sew