Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-04-07
Princess Irene Caught in
Shoals Off Long
Island.
TRANSFER NECESSARY
Seventeen Hundred Persons
Taken Off After Day and
Night of Peril.

New York, April 1.-THE steameE
Princess Irene, which went ashore
yesterday, was still aground This
morning. Preparations were made
for bringing the passengers ashore
this afternoon
TRANS-SHIPMENT BEGUN.
The trans-shipment OF passengers
from the Princess Irene was begun
this afternoon when a surf boat bear
ing . women left the Irene and
headed away for the relief ship,
Prinz Friedrich wilhelm.
ONLY 80 MILES OUT.
Seventeen hundred and twenty
passengers, within sight OF the big
lights which marked the end of their
transatlantic voyage, spent a sleep
less night last night on the great
steamship fast in the sands off the
seaward coast of Long island on the
edge of the Graveyard OF the At
lantic" and less than so miles from
this harbor.
VESSEL BATTERED.
AS night fell a high ground swell
was battering the full height of the
vessels superstructure. The Irene is
from Naples, Genoa, Palermo and
Gibraltar
After running its big nose in the
sand during the fog early yesterday
morning. the liner lay helpless
throughout the day surrounded by
tugs and rsyenne 'cuttsrss- aiEorts' TO :
pull il free at afternoon high tide
failed and because OF rough sea no
transfer of passengers was at
tempted.
At low water the stranded liner
lay with Its length OF 525 feet broad
side TO the beach. The incoming tide
urged on with a wind which had in
creased to nearly 20 miles an hour,
rocked the vessel visibly as seen from
shore and every other swell rolled
up it's black sides and spat about It's
white superstructure The Irene is
of 900 tons net, 9 900 horse pow
er. 525 feet long, 60 feet beam and
3 feet depth.
PATROL BEACH.
AS the night wore on life guards
the beach with surf boats
and breeches buoy in readiness for
any emergency and put little faith in
the liner off They recalled the
of the St Paul some years
ago and how It was stuck fast for
10 days in just such a sandy bed.
Two big wrecking tugs. however,
kept their lines to the ship, and. re-
enforced by the derelict destroyer,
Seneca, waited for the further aid.
PASSENGERS AT EASE.
Lone Hill life savings station, l..
l., April Passengers aboard the
stranded Princess Irene seemed in
a happy frame OF mind this morning
and apparently not much concerned
over their situation.
There has been absolutely no sign
Df panic, or even fear, some OF the
goyagers passing away the time play
ing whist or attending band con-
,erts
Connected WITH SHORE.
a breeches buoy connects the
steamship with the shore, while
.hree life saving crews stand by their
ife saving boats on shore. Near the
rene, swashing about in the seaway.
re the revenue cutters. Seneca and
Mohawk. with a little feet Of tugs
waiting to aid In the trans-shipping
Df passengers The Irene looked
ike an immense spider in web Of
ow lines which radiated from its
item and stern 10 the bobbing feet
If revenue cutters and tugs.
LAST EFFORT FAILS.
Near noon. as the tide began TO
lood strongly. the ITene's big pro-
,ellers began churning the sea,
While the tugs strained labOriously
o free the steamship from the
hoals. The sands, however. held
he big ship fast.
The Princess Irene hoisted signals
t 12:15 asking that boats be sent
o II suifahle for transferring pas