The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-01-18
Condemned for Risking Lives i'm q
Vessel That Il Alleged to Have
Been Defective.
NO REAL DANGER AT ANY TIME
But FOOD AND WATER RAN SHORT
AND FEARS WERE AROUSED.
Officers and Crew Commended for
pany's officials and the Captain.

NEW YORK, Jan. 1.-THE American line
steamship st. Louis is safe in port, but she
brought in the angriest lot of passengers
which has arrived here in many a day.
They were grateful for the skiIful manner
in which the officers OF the steamship ham
died the vessel and for their courtesy, but
many of the first-class passengers declared
their intention to enter suit against the
company for delay and for the alleged risk
they were forced to take. Their cases were
placed in the hands of lawyers on board the
ship.
The delay of the steamship was due TO
leaky boilers. Her time from Cherbourg
to the lightship was thirteen days five hours
and twenty minutes-sx days fifteen hours
and twenty-five minutes behind the ships
best record. There was no accident OF any
kind at any time, and. although heavy
weather was encountered. practically all Of
the delay was caused by the inability TO get
UP good steam in the defective boilers.
According to statements of passengers
only two of the ten boilers were available
when the voyage began, and at times only
one of these was in use. Four men were
scalded by escaping steam during the voy-
age, but apart from this no accident oc-
Cured, and at no time was the safety OF the
vessel greatly imperiled. For the first three
days fair passage was made. but on Jan. >
the difficulty with the boilers increased. and
on the following day. when the condition of
the boilers became known among the pas
sengers. much alarm and indignation were
expressed, and meetings were held in the
saloon and in the second cabin. at which
resolutions were adopted severely censur-
ing the company for permitting passengers
to embark a steamer in the crippled con-
dition in which the st. Louis proved to be.
These were embodied in a statement drawn
up by a committee of passengers which was
made public on the arrival of the ship.
So great was the anxiety of the passen-
gers when the vessel had been out about
week that petition was addressed to Cap
tain Passow requesting him either TO head
for Halifax or to transfer the passengers to
the first west-bound steamer that passed.
Either of these courses was declared, in the
judgment of the captain. to be too hazard
Gus. Toward the end of the voyage the
discomfort of the passengers was mater
tally increased by a scarcity of provisions
and of water.
After she sighted off Nantucket last
night the st. Louis made good time TO New
York and reached her pier some hours
ahead of the time set last night. A large
crowd gathered at the American line pier.
waved flags and cheered the ship came
in with her load of human beings The
cheers were answered from the steamer
and then there were more cheers. Every
vantage point the big dock had been
occupied from early in the morning. The
tugs soon gathered around the st. Louis.
and she was brought slowly TO the dock. II
did not take long for the first and second
cabin passengers to cross the gang pianis,
and they were soon gathered 10 the arms
of their waiting relatives. Each little
group provided a scene, the women in most
cases weeping in their joy.
Similar scenes were being enacted among
the steerage passengers on the lower deck
of the dock, but in this case the passengers
had again to part from their friends 10 go
to Ellis island for examination by the i'm
migration officers.
When the passengers started ashore a
quartermaster was placed on guard at
every gang plang with orders not to allow
anyone TO go on board None of the ships
officers was allowed to come ashore.