Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-05-20
Steamer Monaghan with Hun.
dreds Of Passengers Aboard
in Dangerous Position.
MAY Be DRIVEN ASHORE
Believed Passengers Could Walk IN
Land on DenseIy Packed Ice-A
smaller steamer Sent to Take
OFT Her Passenger Also
Caught in the Ice.

St. Johns. y. F.. May la-lThe Allan
Line steamer Mongoisn bound from
Glasgow And Liverpool for St. Johns.
y. F.. Halifax y. $. and Philadelphia
with hundreds OF passengers on board
was caught in a dangerous ice Jam ons
mile of this harbor late to-day. and to-
night was in hazardous position. II IS
feared that II the wind increases before
daylight the Monaghan will he driven
ashore and become a total wreck. Should
such an accident occur It Is thought that
the passengers can escape by walking
over the densely packed ice foes.
SECOND STEAMER CAUGHT.
Just returned from tho tce-packad
waters OF Belle Isle strait. here she had
been abandoned by her crew and later
rescued. the coastal steamer Prospero,
| also lies wedged in ice between the
| Mongoian and the shore. The Prosperd
| had been despatched by the agents Of the
! Allan Line here when tho plight Of the
| Monaghan became known, TO attempt to
| reach the big vessel and take of the
! passengers and mails. The little steamer
| had Just passed the harbor mouth. after
| a continuous battle for every foot OF pro-
/ gress when the ice barrier became Inn
pregnable and further Roadway was i'm
possible. There she kept company dur
| Ing the night with the greater steamer
! Monaghan. which was equally helpless
I nthe unrelenting grip OF the surround
Ing ice.
The Monsoian lect Glasgow on MAY
{ and Liverpool a few days later with
nearly so passengers aboard for this
port Halifax and Philadelphia. Even
before Cape Race had been sighted the
apA too hp1
become a realty About mile OF tho
narrow harbor opening the Mongolian
stopped the power Of the engines, unable
to successfully cope with the great ir-
regular stretches Of ice. The steamers
| efforts to run the blockade are believed
to have injured some of the bow plates
Tonight the combined action Of wind
| and tide strengthened the grip ~ the
foes and the Mongolian was completely
| surrounded, unable to advance or re-
cede.
Although assured that they we're in no
immediate danger the passengers on
| board tho Monaghan crowded the decks
to witness with anxious interest, me
combat which resulted in the enthral-
| ment OF the steamer.
Soon some Of the anxious eyes dis
cerned far behind the rocky cliffs
which marked the harbor opening, a
. little steamer. headed to them. the
coastal steamer Prospero. which had
| been sent out by the agents or the
| line to take on passengers and mails
But hope ~ rescue from that source
diminished when tho Prospero wa
halted at the mouth of tho harhor
where the wind and tide had packed
the Ice cakes IN an impenetraole ma IS
- The hardy fisher folks undaunted by
danger. traversed tho tee noes to-
0 night and reached the side ~ tire
r Monaghan where they conversed with
= officers and passengers.
: The fishermen reported to peopl-
= ashore that the steamer was not seri-
d ou>ly injured.
!, The proximity Of the Monaghan -
= the shore. however. made her position
: dangerous one.
WILL BE HELD FOR DAYS.
At late hour tonight the weather
conditions had not become more serl'
Gus and tho indications were that the
. ice field would keep the steamer I'M
prisoned for several days. The Mon
solian's position remained unchangef
It at midnight.