Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-30

snorting up from Brooklyn, and, not choos-
ing to steer out of the way, as 1T might
have done. it gave few angry grunts and
charged the ice, much as bull would butt
into herd of sheep. Up went the Scandl-
navians bow, but this time the ice refused
to break. The tug remained in the undig-
nified position of COW with her fore legs
over n fence, and all its efforts to get back
into the water were futile. The ice contln-
ued floating calmly on it's way, bearing the
tug with it, whose whistle was now scream
ing for assistance. Finally, another tug
came to the rescue. and pulled the Scandi-
navian off with a tow rope. For the rest
of the winter that tug boat always went
around foe when it could.
What Cold Spell Means.
Excepting the tug boatmen and their vic
TINS, very few of the people who live
around the new worlds busiest harbor
realize just what cold spell, like the one
that prevailed all through the east last
month really means to the port. Old At
lantic coast sailors have story to tell of
q New Bedford steam whaler that made a
long arctic trip without accident and
then came to New York, where it was
nipped in the ice off Staten Island.
But it is in February-provided Januf ~
has been cold-that the harbor is iced up
worst-vesScls nipped in the ice, ferry boats
retarded. towing and transfer business Sc
riously Interrupted narrow escapes of man
and beast caught on ice foes and swept
hayward by the tides 1t is February that
brings down avalanche of white foes
from the upper Hudson and jams the mar
port between Jersey City and lower
Manhattan, and fills the bay. The tide
whirls the loose ice into heaps ripping and
grinding the foes together and thus form
ing bergs big enough to support a dozen
men.
An accident which happened last year up
beyond Nyack. in New York state. will
give idea of how the ice comes down the
Hudson, crunchng and grinding into New
York's harbOr.
Two boys went out on the solid ice the
morning and fshed through a hole. This
was in February, and for some days the
weather had been mild. The boys were so
absorbed in their sport that they failed tt
pay proper heed to strange noises about
them. Suddenly they We're thrown down,
fiat on their backs. They jumped to their
feet only to be tumbed over again. Thus
.ney Were onHged TO lie Tor some lew MN
utes, when the disturbances ceased. The
previous absolute silence had given place 10
the gurgle and swish of water.
Had Strange Rider.
Not understanding what had happened,
the boys looked for a certain tree as land
mark, with the intention of starting for
home. To their surprise they found Tie
hills and river banks We're moving. Still,
they walked on, until they came to the
edge of the ice. where the water began.
The two young Adventures now realized
what had happened. and franticalIy tr ed to
attract attention ashore by shouting. Mean
While, their course continued down river.
To their alarm they felt renewed jolts and
heard repeated sharp reports and grindr,
sensation underfoOt Big pieces of their
foe We're being broken off as it was pound
ed and rubbed against other foes.
Inc boys were swept out into midstream,
ana the few people on either bank were too
81 H.
foe became small that 1t rocked with
their weight. Then it bumped into a larger
one, and they jumped to that. Thus they
drifted down to Grants tomb where a
boatman heard their cries and came out to
rescue them. They were saved, but there
have been occasions where people have lost
their lives in just this way.
1t often happens that the ferryboats, es-
pecially those that run down the bay TO
Staten Island, are nipped in the ice. One
Sunday evening. several years ago, the
Staten Island boat was nearing it's New
York slip when a vast field of broken ice,
loosened by the tide. swung down the river,
and the ferryboat found itself struggling in
the middle of it.
A Bad Night of It.
The engines battled bravely, but the ice
field was jammed up against the rows of
piers, and thickened by the pressure. Pretty
soon the paddle wheels were completely
clogged, and the ferryboat stuck fast. Over
hundred passengers were aboard, and
they clamored to be put ashore That of
course, was impossibility as no craft
would come out to the rescue, and the ice
was not solid enough to walk over, so the
passengers had to stay by the boat. The
jam got worse. and at last the pilot had to
announce that they were in for an all-night
stay. Then the passengers called for food,
but ferryboats do not carry provisions so
the passengers had TO make the best of It
until morning, when a big tugboat came
ar fa1 a ing he eli n
which allowed the boat to dock. Such in
c.cents have happened almost every year.
But one of the queerest accidents-and
a rather unusual one--that ever occurred in
New York harbor while it was ice-bound
happened TO the ocean liner Germanic four
years ago 1t might have proved serious
had not her crew known their business.
1t had been sleeting, and the rigging of
the big steamer. she lay moored beside
her pier became thickly coated with ice.
There was no harm in that, but it was bad
that her hold was empty.
An Anxious Time
Early in the morning her crew were
spilled out of their hunks by a sudden
lurch. All hands rushed on deck and found
the ship listing dangerously over to port.
The officers understood the trouble in a
moment. Everybody set to work and rugged
up ropes from the masts to the dock which
prevented further danger of capsizing, but
not before water had poured into some
open portfolios and filled the ships hold up
to the stoke-room gratings. Finally the
vessel righted when suddenly she listed
over to the starboard until her masts rested
on the roof of the dock house. which prob
ably saved her from capsizing altogether
Then all hands went aloft with hatchets
cutlasses, hammers or other steel or iron
implements that could be found, and began
clipping off the tons of capped Ice At first
only a few of the crew could go aloft. as
their weight increased the danger, but as
they knocked off their own weight in ice
others came up. and finally enough ice was
broken off to cause the Germanic to right
herself permanently.