The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-10-16
Steam Steering Gear Carried Away
and a Steward Dashed
to His Death.
The Ship Steered by Its Twin Screws Until Re-
pairs We're Made---A Breathing Spell in
the Great Storms Vortex.

Battling for safety in the clutches of
the tumultuous, criss-cross seas Of a
typhoon, steaming straight across its
vortex in Il dead calm, entering another
whirl and eventually emerging from one
of the widest of storms experienced in
the Pacific Ocean, was the ordeal
through which the japanese liner A
merica Maru passed on@ one day out
of Yokohama en- route on her present
voyage to Honolulu, The passengers,
officers and crew witnessed a terrific
CONFUSION of the elements seldom CIV
en- to men to experience and live to tell
the tale, and all praise the staunch,
trustworthy Japanese liner which car
ried them safely through. Away down
in the hold is the embalmed body Of a
Japanese bathroom steward who was
killed during the typhoon, the heavy
seas which swept the deck hurting him
against deck house and smashing his
skull. The body will be taken back to-
Japan for burial.
The America Maru left Yokohama on
Monday, October 6, at IL a. m. An
hgur was spent outside the breakers
while search was made for stowa-
ways. Three unfortunates trying to
steal passage were discovered and
sent ashore. At noon the vessel steam
ed past the United States cruiser New
York, on which was Admiral Rogers.
wheH the outside sea was reached
strong breeze was met, and the sun
went down in a blood-red sky the signs
of an approaching typhoon. Next day
all on board went through an expert
ance such as most of them never wish
to repeat. With the crew, there We're
nearly 1000 souls aboard. On Tuesday
morning the awnings were taken in, the
boats given extra lashings and every
thing movable about the decks made
fast.
About p. m. the typhoon broke sud
denly -Hpon the ship. These cycloR1c
storms originate somewhere in the vi
cinity of Manila, and passing up the
China Sea, often round Japan. They
are terrific in their violence. They
whirI along. at tremendous speed, rais-
ing an immense sea. About p. m. the
vessel was well within the typhoon's
grip and the wind was bowling through
the rigging and great seas ran in all
directions. The barometer registered
about 80 degrees when Yokohama was
left behind. About p. m. Tuesday 1t
had fallen to 1920, at 6 o'clock it was
down to $3.50. About s p. m. the A
merica Maru reached the vortex, an
experience seldom falling to travellers
to witness, more seldom to get safely
out of. A dead calm prevailed there,
although the seas ran mountains high,
tossed about in confused masses.
This lasted for an hour and half,
the glass falling to 2s.1O. the lowest rec
ord Captain Going. the liners COM
mander, had ever known in his long
experience.
The steamer drifted across the center
and then struck into the whirling edge
opposite, the wind again hGwling with
hurricane force. Just then great sea
came across the waist of the steamer
and struck down the bath house stew
ard. who was foolishly trying to go aft,
hurled him with great force against the
iron deck house. smashed his head ana
killed him instantly. AS the water
came into the steerage aft it caused
great fear among the Japanese people
and several thought the ship was sink
ing, and their cries and yells added to
the tumult of wind and bucking seas.