Evening journal., 1910-11-21
ROUGH TRIP OF
MIRAFLORES
Had to Throw Coal Off VIII
minGtOn Built Tug to Pre-
vent 1t FOunderlng
RETURNING CAPTAIN
TELLS OF THE TROUBLE

NEW YORK, Nov. 21.-The Herald
says:
TO the records of thrilling voyages
and Of heroism at sea a new chapter.
has been added by Captain Ralph G.
Ludwig. OF this city, who has re-
turned from a trip OF fourteen thou
sand miles in the Mirohores, tug
which was built for use at Ancon,
at the Pacific end of the Panama Ca
nal.
ne little craft, which was lis feet
long and registered 140 tons, left the
yards of its builders, the Pusey a.
Jones Company, at Wilmington, Del,
on August IL last and reached Ancon
November 4. The chief engineer, II.
l.. Healy, and his first assistant were
the only members Of the original
crew OF fourteen men that remained
with Captain Ludwig throughout the
trying trip.
Such heavy weather was encoun-
tered by the Mirahores, especially
while steaming from the Barbados
to Pernambuco, that the trip from
Wilmington to Ancon occupied twen-
ty-four daysemore than had been ex-
pected. The entire, trip occupied
eighty-four days.
At Buenos Ayres Captain Ludwig
shipped Charles Mathis, eighteen
years old, to take the place of a man
who had deserted at that port. Mathis
stuck to the vessel to the end
OF the trip, even through experiences
that led others to desert. Captain
Ludwig felt such appreciation for the
young mans heroism that he paid
his passage to this city on board
the Alianca, OF the Panama line, by
which Seamship Captain Ludwig
also returned here.
Until his arrival here, Mathis, who
is an orphan and of slight build, re-
fused TO give way to the Illness that
had been a result of his exposure
He was sent to the Marine Hospital
Staten Island, by the Master, Mate
and Pilots Association, of No. u state
street, which organization had recon-
mended Captain Ludwig as especially
competent to take the MiratOres
around South America to Ancon.
The storm encountered between
Barbados and Pernambuco had the
Mirafiores I'm its grasp within three
hours after the tug had left Barba'
dos. At l o'clock in the morning ol
August 21 giant waves had so hllet
the craft with water that fifteen tont
of coal had to be thrown overheard
TO prevent sinking. The crests OF th'
, waves lowered high above the tug ant
tossed It about in the darkness unit
the crew became i'll or refused u
work longer. The pilot house gav'
! way under the pounding of tons o
Q water. and Captain Ludwig had Z
e stand at the wheel, drenched to IN
i skin and struggling TO keep from be
- ing swept overheard.
O Sixty out Of $50 tons of coal pull
chased at various ports on the tri
had to be thrown overheard to pr
vent the tug from foundering.
For hours at a time during the thu
II teen days OF continuous storm,
' was impossible to see ahead for moi
than the boats length because of n
i living foam and spray. The pumI
e had to be kept working during niue
i of the time. II was an exhausted ere
} that reached Pernambuco, where SCI
y eral men threw up their Jobs.
u When Captain Ludwig took n
Miraflores into AncOn, November
/ the canal engineers who received IN
n ting Immediately ordered trial. :
y CAPTAIN Ludwig took the Miranor'
out again, ten minutes after her a.
, rival, and showed that she eoul
= make a speed Of ten miles IN Iorn
10 two minutes without having her nu
or her boilers cleaned.
9 Paul Taggart, Of this CITY, seer
tary of the Pusey and Jones Coh
y pany, was a passenger on the Mlt'
= flores during the trip. He returne
several days ago. Mr.. Taggart wa
out of the city to-day and his Versio
of the trip could not be obtained M
, Taggart on his return said ne ehJo!
~ - A. 4,-f,, dacnfta the rough Weatne