Omaha daily bee., 1909-05-21
STEAMER IN GRIP OF ice
Five Hundred Passengers Made Pris-
oners by Huge Floe.
EFFORTS AT RESCUE ARE IN VAIN
Limits of Field SURROUNDING Boat
CANNOT BE seen and Crew is
Northumberland In on
All sides.

ST. JOHNS. N. F.. Mas 9.-The grip Of
the Ice on the steamer Monaghan, which
was surrounded off the entrance TO st.
Johns harbor, remained hard and fast
today and while the steamer was not In,
any immediate danger OF being either
crushed or pushed ashore any strong gale
from the east was a menace.
Shortly before l O'Clock this afternoon
several passengers started to walk across
the Ice to the coast. Two women were
among the number. The party could be
seen through glasses from shore, but on
account Of the ice hummocks and hard
travelling IL was, believed the party would
be several hour4 in covering the distance
from the stesmeT TO the coast. A tug was
sent from the harbor to the inner edge OF
the ice pack in readiness to bring the
party to this city as soon as it had com
pleted its Journey oyer the floes.
The coastal steamer Prospere, which be-
came imprisoned in the ice while attempt
ing to reach the Monaghan yesterday,
freed itself from the ice jam this after
noon. A heavy undertow in the mar
rows assisted the steamer.
Many Of the 500 passengers were sur
prised at the extent Of the field when they
came on deck this morning. They went to
bed last night confident a lead would be
opened in the morning and that the harbor
would be gained. But when they found
the Monaghan In an even firmer grasp
they became somewhat discouraged, al
though assured BY the officers that there
was no danger. They soon became re-
signed to the conditions and settled Town
to wait either for release or for word to
go over the side and start over the Ice
for shore.
The limits Of the great ice field could
not be seen from the summit OF the
highest hill on the coast, but extended to
the horizon. Off shore the bergs could be
seen grinding and turning as the great
Labrador current pushed them constantly
to the southwark.
Anxious Might on Board.
The night on board the Monaghan was
an anxious one, despite the fact that the
officers assured everyone the shore could
be reached easily and that ample warning
would be given II the steamer
showed signs OF being unable to Withstand
the pressure Of the ice. The passengers,
however. dfplayed admirable patience.
Fishermen and many other persons from
the city went out over the Ice during the
early morning and many messages we're
sent on shore.
To those who visited the Monaghan many
of the passengers recounted how the ice
pack bore down on the steamer yesterday
as she neared the coast until, hemmed in
on every side, further. progress was COM
pletely stopped. Then came the effort OF
the little steamer Prospero to break
through the ice and open a lane for the
larger steamer There was ~disappoint-
ment when the ice pack was seen to
gather steadily around. the little steamer
until she also succumbed to its mighty
power.
The two steamers lay in practically the
same position throughout the night.
Ice Higgins to Jam.
During the afternoon today it was noticed
that the Ice Was tanning up a bit on the
shore and the Mongolian had been forced
a trifle to the southwark. Many climbed
Telegraph hill, the eminence overlooking
the scene, but there was no sign of clear
water for at least twenty-five miles off
shore, while reports from the north stated
that every bay, harbor and inlet was
choked with ice.
Many Of the older inhabitants were un.
able to remember such an extensive ice
field of st. Johns. The sight of a mighty
procession OF bergs marching steadily dowr
the coast to final dissolution on the Grand
banks is a amiliSr one to the Inhabitants
OF the east coast. But as a rule these
small children of the mightier glaciers OF
Greenland and Spitzbersen have marched
singly or In small groups. and 1t is un-
usual for them y to mass up into a field
forty or fifty miles wide and hundreds OF
miles lens. Steamers seeking this port in
the spring have been caught and held for
several dayA but it lie many years since a
vessel has been 30 completely surrounded
by an ice field.