The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-03-31

steamer outside the harbor was In
trouble, and in the morning the bull
letin was posted announcing the ram
ming of the steamer Republic BY the
italian liner, Florida, the death OF MT.
Mooney of Langdon, N. d., and Mrs.
Lynch of Boston and serious injury
to others. 1t was several days before
we received New York papers giving
details Of the disaster and Information
of the goodly number Of North DaKota
people on the wrecked steamer.
We were now under way and our
first cfiagrin was to findsour name reg
istered from st. Paul instead Of Dick
tnson, N. d. The Darrows and Fargo
Jared no better The chumps-just be-
cause our tickets were purchased at
ST. Paul.
we now commenced to study our
steamer, the Oceana, OF the Hamburg
American line.
1t was evident that the crew was en-
tirely made in Germany. a clean,
wholesome looking lot, and nearly all
could understand and speak English.
The Oceana is a twin-screw vessel,
5000 tons, 511 feet long, formerly an
English transport in the Boer war,
has belonged to Hamburg American
about FIVE years, built in Belfast, En-
glish machinery, Scotch boilers.
found this out in the engine room
and went down among the stokers.
The assistant engineer was going to
fire" me until / told him used to
be an engineer on the railroad, and
then we got acquainted.
Read Kipling's McAndrew's Prayer
and, then, when you get chance go
to the engine room of an ocean liner
and you will feel glad that you are
alive amid the mighty works of man
and his creator.
Our course lay south south east
about midway between the Carolinas
and Bermudas, and, for five days. we
journeyed. The ocean was dream
and a novelty. When anyone suggest
ed we were past Cape Hatteras or
opposite Charleston, / said, Please
excuse me, I'm not studying geography,
I'm resting" When q new found COM
panion aimed to be brilliant and inn
part information, said, "Quit it. /
don't want to improve my mind"
ate everything that was passed TO
me in enormous quantities, and was
warned by my wise neighbor from
Scranton, Pa. at my left at table that
would rue my gluttony.
The second day out weather was
6s to 70. after that anywhere from
20 to upwards, but not much over so
at any time. The ocean breeze was
ever with us, excepting for two or
three nights when our cert hole was
bolted tight. But one day when the
atmosphere was dead in our cabin,
the head steward had an Irish Amer
lean rebellion on his hands and asked
me IL / wanted to sink the ship. We
compromised and he left 1t open and
said he would hope for the best.
Germany is all right.
To remain out doors on deck without
a fur collar or an ovcrcoat was q
delight. The restfulness of the warm
air where drafts were not to be fear
ed was soothing The animation OF
the crowd was celebrating, while the
study of the passenger list and identi-
flying certain people was novel and
! entertaining. The relaxation OF the
all nights sleep beginning early and
lasting until the hngle sounded break
fast call late in the morning, was
most enjoyable. Then a nap in ones
cabin after breakfast and another at
ter noon was more than pleasant.
The ocean was ever In evidence.
only a day or two of rolling seas and
then to be told that we would enter
ST. Thomas harbor about a. m, on
January %, aroused me from the JOY
of laziness,
1t was "brite and fair" the early
morning as we pulled into st. Thomas
and soon the boats OF the darkies
came along side, and. as the passen-
gers threw pennies or silver into the
water, the boys would jump from their
boats and dive for it and as they
went down, sometimes four or five of
them after one silver piece, the white
soles of their feet were skyward and
later they would come up and blow
the water from their nostrils and
chamber back in their boats, while the
lucky one would examine his catchy
store it in his mouth, until later de-
posted in the bottom OF the boat
Two steam launches belonging to the
Octana, by towing two or three row
boats that would hold about two
dozen passengers each, landed the
passengers. who theoretically rubbered
and inspected everything in sight
The principal crop in sight at st.
Thomas seemed to be niger babies.
Next to that came bay rum.
j. Il. Phelan.