Evening journal., 1908-12-22
BIG STEAMSHIP WAS
BATTERED FOR FIVE
DAYS BY ANGRY SEAS
Thrilling Trip of the Yoserc, Struck by Hurricane,
While on Way TO This City With
Cargo of Nitrate of Soda
PLATES SPRING AND
WATER IN THE HOLD

After being battered numerically by
mountainous seas for several days. and
with some of her plates sprung and
her forwad hold filled with water, the
big British steamship Yoseric with q.
cargo OF nitrate Of soda for the DUPONT
Powder Company picked her way up
the Delaware river yesterday afternoon
and anchored at the dupont pier on the
Delaware river front. after on Of the
most thrilling passages any steamship
ever had across the Atlantic
on her maiden trip the Yoseric with
Captain ". Gay in command, had one
Of the hcrcest battles with wind and
wavo that IL would be possible for
any vessel TO withstand. and that the
big steamship came through her chris
tening by the clements with no great
er damage than has been sustained.
speaks not only we'll for the staunch
construction Of the vessel but for the
able seamanship Of. Captain Gay and
the hardy crew under him who pluck
lily stuck by the pumps day and night
and kent running back into the sea
the torrent of water that had poured
through the forward matches into the
tons Of nitrate Of soda.
At times it seemed as If the doughty
steamship would plunge 10 the bot
tom and that nobody would be saved
TO recount the severe buffetings and
poundings OF the hurricane -lashed sea,
but the Yoseric came through and Cap
tain Gay and his crew will eat their
Christmas dinner at a Delaware river
port.
1t was the worst experience imag-
Unable" said Captain Gay yesterday
afternoon when he called at the Gus
toms Office in the Federal building to
enter the Hoseric. For FIVE days we
were pounded and lashed by tremen-
dous seas while q hurrican whistled
all about us
Many times II seemed as If we would
he engulfed anh swept to the bottom
by the waves that broke over US noun
tain high. Nobody knows the terrible
battle we had, but we are thankful that
we came through it all. None Of the
crew was hurt, Notwithstanding the
dangerous risks tho ytook in manning
the boat, and l guess we have many
things to be thankful for"
Had Thrilling Battle.
Captain Gay related the thrilling
story OF the maiden trip OF the Yoseric
which left Hamburg on December
with cargo Of several thousand tons
Of the nitrate of soda for the DUPONT
Rowder Company to be used IN the
manufacture of gunpowder. The nj
frate is packed in bags. which were
STORED i'm the hold. When in midocean
p hurricane broke over the Yoseric
The seas became mountainous. and
broke over the deck and deck houses
Of the steam ship.
For five days the carnival Of wind
and waves continued. The Yoseric was
tossed about like a dory. blown from
her course and subjected to a mighty
nounding. Staunch as the steel plates
were it seemed many times as If the
mighty seas would rend the hull apart
md send the proud craft to the bottom
Notwithstanding the peril Of the avail
anches Of water and the wind which al
times attained a velocity of eighty
miles an hour, the Yoseric was hold
ing her own under the skillful handling
OF Captain Gay and his crew until the
Coutinued ON Eighth Fage