Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-19
PASSENGERS KICK
At the Delay in Trip Across Of
Steamer St. Louis.
AIIege That Conditioned Her Boilers
Rendered Her Unsafe.
Plainly Spoken Protest of Passengers
placed on File.

New York. Jan. 1S.-Hailed with
cheers from a vast crowd that throng-
ed the pier of the American Line, the
steamship ST. Louis, six days overdue,
was hauled into her berth, Saturday.
While her detention was, in part, due
to tempestuous weather, it was in main
attributable to the fact that the defec-
tive condition of her boilers only adj
mitted of maintaining very low rate
of speed even under the most favorable
conditions. The voyage from Cher
bourg to the Sandy Hook lightship con-
sumed 13 days, 5 hours and 20 minutes
which was days, Is hours and 20 min
utes behind the ships best record.
According to the statements of pas
sengers only two of the 10 boilers were
available when the voyage began, ana
at times only one of these was IN use.
Four men were scalded by escaping
steam during the voyage but apart
from this, no accident occurred, and at
no time was the safety of the vessel
gravely imperiled.
On Jan. 10, when the saloon passen-
gers learned of the exact conditions OF
the steamers boilers and engines they
held an indignation meeting, adopted
resolutions censuring the international
Navigation Co. for sending the st. Louis
TO sea in her dangerous condition.
A COPY of these resolutions was hand
ed to Captain Passow. They demanded
that the ship be headed for Halifax or
that her passengers be transferred to
some passing fast west bound steamer
if feasible. s ~
The report of the passengers COM
mittee was as follows
S. $. ST. Louis. at Sea, Jan. II, 1903:
TO the passengers of the 5. S. ST.
Louis-The undersigned committee
unanimously elected by the saloon pas
sengers at an indignation mass meeting
held Jan. TO- 1868, begS leave to report:
First-That there is satisfactory evil
dence that the S. $. st. Louis entred
Southampton harbor, Jan. 2 last, after
an easterly voyage of more than nine
days in a smooth sea, in a crippled con-
dition and that she was sent to sea on
the following day, leaving but little or
no time. for necessary overhauling and
needy repairs.
SecOnd-That your committee has
been credibly informed that this condi-
ton was known to the management of
the company before embarking passen-
gers.
Thrl-That no accidents, so far as
your committee are aware, have oc-
CURED since leaving Southampton to
impair the speed of this ship. The de-
lay has been only such as might have
been reasonably expected from the
crippled condition of her boilers. Prov
idencc indeed. has been exceedingly
Kind to us, and we are truly grateful
that through His tender mercies we
have been thus far spared a calamity
TOO horrible to contemplate.
Fourth-We cannot too severely con-
denim the reckessness of a manage
ment that would order such crippled
vessel loaded with human freight, to
contend with the storms and perils Of
an Atlantic winter. We believe that
our lives have been put in jeopardy and
certainly our loved ones at home are
being made to suffer great mental an
guish, not to mention the severe finan-
cial losses many of us have incurred
and are now mourning.
F'ifth-That on the evening of Jan. 10,
1909. the following petition was presented
to Capt. F. NJ. Passow, commanding the
S. s. st. Paul:
The undersigned passengers of the
steamship st. Louis, bound for New York,
hereby request that in view of the Grip
pied condition of this steamship and the
consequent uncertainty of the date of her
reaching that point. you hail some fast
west-bound steamer for the purpose of
transferring us thereto or that the boat
be put into Halifax if feasible.
Signed by the saloon passengers.
That in reply Capt. Passow explained
The difficulties and dangers attending Il
transfer of passengers at sea, and fur
Their stated that it would be an exceed
ingly dangerous undertaking to attempt
to take the ship in her present condition
into the harbor of Halifax. He volun-
teered the information that he might later
on enter Boston harbor, and had the ques-
ton under advsement.
Sixth-That it is matter of keen re-
greet that a first-cass steamship such as
the st. Louis is reported to be should not
be supplied with the Marconi system. the
absence of which has been seriously felt
during the ver-to-be-remembered voyage
Seventh-That the thanks of the pas
sengers are due to the officers of the ship
for their uniform courtesy under these
very trying circumstances in endeavorins
to allay our uneasiness and excitement
The committee consisted of A. p Lloyd
Louis B. Berned, the Rev. Arthur Crane
c. w. Bonynge and Ralph Nichol.
The report of this committee was unani.
mously approved, and resolutions were
adopted condemning the action of the
management of the line as outlined in the
committees report.