New-York tribune., 1900-05-29
IN WITH BROKEN SHAFT.
THE NETWORK LOST HER PORT PRO
PELLER IN MIDoCEAN.

There is an immense steamships propeller with
ten feet of shaft attached. lying at the bottom OF
the ocean about twelve hundred miles this side or
Southampton and it may be had for the raising.
II is - feet in diameter and made Of man
ganese bronze. and il used TO belong to the swift
American liner New-York. She came into port
yesterday two days over due. having hmped over
half way across the ocean with only one pro-
seller Yet with this handicap she made speed
fifteen knots. and, far as her passengers could
discern from her motion there was nothing at all
the matter with her. Such Is the security of the
big ocean liners nowadays.
The New York with her mishap at ?;2o
o'clock the night OF Tuesday. May %. when she
three days out OF Southampton. She was
bowling along a twenty-one knot gait, ana
her passengers spending quiet evening be-
low. when there sudden shock that made
the big ship shudder from stem TO stern. The
muffied beating of the engines stopped short. and
the ship sped on in silence for several SECONDS
before the passengers grasped the situation Then
some of them rushed TO Captain Roberts ana asked
him what wrong.
Shaft brokcn-thats all. Rest easy. said the
Captain. And the passengers settled down again
though nothing more serious had happened than
The loss of steamer chair overheard
Meanwhile a lowered TO investigate
outside. and IN the engine room began some tail
husiling. 1t found that the port shaft had
snapped off short Just outside the hull between
the truss block and the screw. and the part
broken off. with the port screw attached. had
sunk The automatic governor had stopped
The port engines just twelve seconds from the
time the shaft broke The New-ork's machinery
looked carefully. and at midnight she
started on her way again. That closed the Incl
dent for the passengers with the exception of the
delay.
Divers sent down the steamer
was docked yesterday, and they reported that
the hull was covered with scratches. This helps
10 confirm the theory of the ships officers that
she ran into derelict in midocean, and that her
shaft was snapped off by the submerged wreck
while she scraping il Several of the
officers OF the line believe. however, that the
break was due 10 a flaw in the shaft.
You never tsll when a shaft will break
said Manager Samuel Battle yesterday, for it is
impossible TO cast which be guaranteed
fawless. A shaft will last for years and years.
until you become absolutely convinced that there
IS flaw anywhere in its construction. Then,
when you are least expecting it, the shaft will
SNAP.
The New-York will sail for Southampton to-
morrow. scheduled. and will be repaired the
other side. She will lose only voyage through
the accident for the duplicate parts in waiting
for her in England. As she will be able TO use
only her starboard engine on her next voyage the
this account p per cent of the passage will
be given back 10 each passenger who makes the
that none OF the passengers for the next voyage
had Withdrawn yet
New-fork tomorrow are Miss Amala Kissner,
Miss Olga Nethersoe and Louis f. Nethersoe,
Mrs W. Barclay Parsons. Mr. and Mrs Arthur
II seribnsr. Mr. and Mrs Charles Tremain and
On Sunday. May 9l. Miss Kittie Maloney, the
siXteen-year-old daughter of Martin Maloney, of
died of vaivuiar disease of the heart The body
was brought into port. and will be shipped TO
her mother and an elder sister. had been abroad
q bout two months