The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-05-21
800 Passengers Cut Off
 From Shore.
ANXIOUS NIGHT ON BOARD
Ship Which Came to Rescue Also
 Caught.
Five Passengers Reached st. Johns Yesterday Afternoon, Having Taken the Risk and walk
 cd Across the Ice.

St Johns. N. F., May 20--Notwfth< standing efforts to assist her, the Alls<f Line steamer Mongolian. which<isas been wedged in an ice pack 9f the mouth of this harbor since yeeterday. was still imprisoned tonight. It Is thought an attempt by the stout sealing steamer Diana to open up a lane between the Mongolian and the marrow harbor opening will b8 successful tomorrow.
 The experience of five passengers of the Mongolian, who today successfully crossed the ice field between the liner and the shore, assured the others that ready and fairly safe avenue of es- cape was available. Tonight those on the Mongoiian were able to see the lights of the steamer Diana, which lay q mile off.
 owing to the steady southward trend of the Labrador current, the Mong0lian tonight was a considerable distance further from the entrance to the harber than she was last night. On all sides of the steamer stretched an almost compact covering of ice.
 The night on board the Mongollan was an anxious one. despite that the officers assumed every one that the shore could be reached easily. and that ample warning would be given if the stout side of the steamer showed signs of being unable to withstand the prea~ sure of the ice. The passengers diss played admirable patience.
 Fishermen and many other persons from the city 5ourneyed out over the feid during the early morning and many messages were sent on shore To those who visited the Mongofian. many of the passengers accounted how the foe pack bore down on the steam CT yesterday as she nsared the coast until hemmad in on every side farthaE progress was completely stopped. Then came the effort of the little steamer Prospero to break through the foe al the harbor's entrance and open lane for the larger steamer. Many Of tha passengers bound to Halifax and Phii~
 adeiphia on tbs Mongoiian thought | that the Prospero would at least reach
 them and perhaps enable them to land
 and there was much disappointment
 when the foe pack was seen to gathsa steadily around the little steamer, un- tii she also succunbed to It's Intghf9 power.
 The two steamers lay in prscffeaiIv the same position throughout the night There was some movement of the big bergs as the tide rose and fsli and the weight of the great ocean cur< rent sweeping along shore from ff1s north extended in shore.
 During the forenoon 1t was noticed that the ice was jamming up a bit on the shore and the Mongoiian had been forced tride to the southward.
 Many climbed Telegraph Hill, fhg eminence overlooking the scene at tho entrance to the harbor, but even at height of several hundred feet therG was no sign of clear water for at least twenty-five miles off shore.
 Shortly before 1 o'clock this alters noon several passengers from the Mon@ golian started to walk across, the ice to the shore. Two women were among the number. On account of the ice hummocks and hard travelling it was believed the party would be several hours in covering the distance.
 The Prospero freed herself from tho ice fam this afternoon. A heavy un- dertow in the narrows assisted the steamer.
 Five passengers from the Mongolian reached St. Johns this afternoon. They were pr. McPherson and his wife, Dr. Hunt Miss Hunt and Mrs. Stephens son. They walked across the ice. which was so tight not a sign of water was visible. Dr. McPheTson stated that the MongoIian was uninjured, though sub- tected to great pressure.
 Unless the weather changes greatly for the worse, the steamer will escape.