The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-17

THE PASSENGERS
ARE VERY ANGRY
Continued from First Page.

such as might have been reasonably ex-
pected from the crippled condition OF her
boilers. Providence, indeed, has been ex-
ceedingly kind to US and we are truly
grateful that through her tender merctes
we have been thus far spared a calamity
too horrible to contemplate.
Fourth, we cannot too severely con-
denim the recklessness of a management
that would send such crippled vessel
loaded with human freight to contend
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 anguish, not to men
ton the severe financial losses many Of
us have incurred and are now mourning.
Fifth, that on the evening of Jan. 10,
1908, the following petition was presented
to. Captain. Passow, commanding the
steamship St. Louis. The undersigned
passengers of the steamship St.. Louis
bound for New York hereby request that
in view Of the crippled condition OF this
steamship and the consequent uncertainty
Of the date of her reaching that port, you
hail some fast westbound steamer for the
purpose OF transferring us thereto, or that
the boat put into Halifax II feasible.
(Signed.) BY the Saloon Passengers.
THAT In reply Captain Passow~ ex-
planned the difficulties and dangers at
tending a transfer of passengers at sea
anu 1uTtHeT SIateQ tnaI IL WOuI0 De al
exceedingly dangerous undertaking to at
tempt to take the ship in her present con-
ditton, into the harbor. Of Halifax = He
volunteered the Information that he might
later on enter Boston harbor and had
the question then under advisement.
Sixth, that 1t is a matter Of keen re-
greet that irst-class 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 this ever-to- aforementioned
voyage. -. y
: Seventh, that the thanks of the pas
sengers are due to the officers Of the ship
very trying circumstances In endeavoring
| to, allay our uneasiness and excitement"
The committee consisted of A. P. Lloyd
Louis D. 1Bernei, 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.
; Kick From the Second Cabin.
| The second cabin passengers also
framed resolutions, the gist Of their pro-
test being in the subjoined paragraph: -
1T was plain from the daily runs of the
ship that something was radically wrong
with the boat from the outset. Inquiry
| StASASSo sAAO A1AAOA IIlhI the OOllerS
were In a defective condition. and proof
| can be adduced that this was not only
known to the company but that passen-
| gers were wilfully deceived and represen-
tatfons made that the voyage would be
| finished in the usual time.''
! This circular Of protest was signed nv
H. Willard Of Chicago, as chairman:
Gordon Graham, DR.. E. J. Fernandez, Miss
| Florence Mabbett and about twelve or
f1fte enothers Of the second cabin pas
| sengers. :-l7T '.' :" -.
! The company's Statement.
The American line gave out the fol-
lowing statement later in the day:
!. II The delayed arrival Of the st. Louis
was caused by leaving Cherbourg late and
by. extremely bad weather. There was
nothing IN the known. condition of her
/ boilers that would have prevented her
from reaching here after normal pas
sage. The marked loss Of steaming
power co1ld not have been foreseen. Even
in the light of our present knowledge.
there is nothing in any way that affects
the perfect safety Of the ship The
management much regret the inconyeni-
ence caused the passengers and the anxi-
ETY. caused their friends p =
:. E Nobody Allowed on Board.
When the passengers started ashore, q
lquartermaster was placed on guard at
every gangplank with orders from the
L 1929 80 ISttoSAAI 1lOlr " allow any one
to go on board. None of the ships OFF,
lcers was allowed to come ashore.
The passengers freely expressed their
feelings at. the delay. A. Bartlette LLOYD
OF Baltimore was one of the signers OF
the ,nrst cabin passengers resolutions. He
said: ."3 ". =
"The speeches made at the indignation
meeting were much more fiery In tone
and much more bitter against the man
agement OF the company than the resolu-
tons show. We attempted to make the
resolutions as dfspassionate as possible. +
| Everybody Mas Depressed and Angry.
There was no pleasure nor gayety
aboard the ship. Every one was as de-
lpressed and angry as men and women
tcould be In such situation. Suspicion
began from the very; moment we left
i southampton When it first began to be
rum ored about the ship that the boilers
were, defective and leaky we sought in
formation from the officers and stewards,
but we could learn nothing. Our fears
were either laughed at or eYasive answers
made.
But when the officers saw that we
were In deadly earnest and would not be
denied In our endeayor to know the truth,
they changed their attitude, and told us
promptly what we wanted to know, oil
told US they knew nothing about the cause
OF the delay. All Of the f1rst-class passen-
myself and Mr.. Berniei as their lawyers
and authorized us to make such claims
against the company as we saw fit and. to
lendeayor to collect damages
RY~-- W Va -,