Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-10-25
SKIPPER SAWS OCEAN
LITERALLY B0llE D
seamen Go Out on Deck In Water Up
10 Their Necks TO Lash Deck Load
pown-Flrst Officers Room Flooded
and Many Valuable Papers Are
. Swept Overheard.

Alter having Dccn DuHcteu ABOUT
for four days in what Captain Reimer
declares was the worst storm he has
experienced In his long career as a
deep sea navigator. the German
steamer Christiania came into this
port Sunday morning four days over
due from Mobile, Ala. for Hamburg,
Germany. During the battle with the
tropical hurricane Off the coast OF
Florida. the steamer lost her reserve
supply of fuel coal from her deck,
had her deck fittings and railing bat
tered and damaged and lost num-
Der of valuable documents. including
her ships papers, by the flooding OF
the first officers quarters. The yes
sci was compelled to stop at this port
for fuel coal because she did not have
enough coal to last her until she
reached Hamburg for which port she
cleared from Mobile direct.
Captain ReiRer said after his ar
rival here that the ocean literally
boiled for three days and the foam
was so thick IT was impossible to
see the sea beneath. Mountainous
seas swept the ship from stem to
stern for four days and nights and
the genial skipper declares that he
Is confident that had his vessel not
been loaded with timber she would
have gone down with all hands on
board. While he had no instrument
10 show the velocity of the wind, the
captain says that he is confident that
at times II blew fully 100 miles an
hour. Ii was at such times that the
ocean was dashed to such fury that
II looked as though the water was
boiling over the heat of some gigantic
fire.
in Water Up to Their Necks.
The Christiania struck the storm
when about two days out from Mo
bile and while on the far coast OF
Florida. The ship carried deck load
of timber secured by stout cables.
When he saw the storm approaching.
Captain Reimer had his sailors put on
extra lashings to hold the deck load.
Many OF these were torn to shreds
by the great waves which washed the
decks and time and again during the
four days that the steamer fought
with the hurricane the seamen went
on deck in water almost up TO their
necks and put new lashings on the
deck load The job was one frought
with great hazard. but none OF tho
men was badly injured though some
had narrow escapes.s
Water men here say that Captain
Reimer deserves great credit for not
throwing his deck load by the board
during the storm. However. the skip
per says that the load did not shift
during the storm and he was deter
mined to save the load If he could do
SO without losing his ship.
Coal Swept Overheard.
Boxed up on the ships deck was
as tons of fuel coal taken on at Mo
bile and intended to be used during
the run TO Hamburg. This was swept
overheard by the seas. The waves
also twisted the ratings and damaged
the deck fittings considerably, but II
was not necessary for the ship "a
undergo repairs here and she got out
of port yesterday morning after TAX
ing on a fresh supply Of fuel coal.
One OF the giant seas that swept
the ship flooded the quarters Of the
second officer and carried away 4
number of papers, including the car
go manifest taken out at Mobile.
Other valuabies in the room also
were swept out to sea The officer
was not in his room at the time.
Less Than Mile A. Hour.
During the four days that the hurri-
cane continued. the ChriStiania did
not travel 100 miles. making less than
25 miles each - hours. or not one
mile an hour While the storm was
a; its heighth the ship WAS thrown
this way and that by the great seas
snd bowling gale and she had all she
could 10 TO hoid her own against the
elements.
After the storm subsidized the steam
er continued on her journey and made
this port without further usishep or
experience with rough weather. Cap