The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-08-07
NARROW ESCAPE Of
BIG ANCHOR LINER
Steamer Columbia Arrives Safely
in Port After Colliding With
Huge Iceberg.
VESSEL IS BADLY DAMAGED
Several Passengers Injured When
Crash Came; Panic Quickly
- Subdued.
VESSEL IS BADLY DAMAGED

NEW YORK, Aug, 5.--The Anchor Line
steamer Columbia, which collided with
an iceberg on August 2. reached New
York today from GLASGOW under her own
steam. Many yards Of canvas covered
but her officers said the damage was en-
tirely above the waterline. The acct
dent occurred about 120 miles off Now
foundland.
The Columbia's SOS passengers had Just
sat down to dinner and because Of the
heavy fog the vessels engines had been
stopped, Unheralded by the customary
drop In temperature. the iceberg loomed
up in front of the vessel almost at the
moment OF the collision.
There was crash as the sharp stem
cut into the berg and tons OF Ice crashed
down on the vessels deck. Captain
Mitchell signaiied full speed astern and
crew could get a view OF the Icy noun
tain they had encountered.
Damage to Vessel.
An inventory of the damage showed
the bow stove In so badly that the liner
was taking water and the canvas ac-
plates, The crew. In removing the mass
OF Ice forward. made little headway until
with their axes they had split the largest
pieces. weighing tons. Into many sec
tions,
The passengers could not see the ice
berg through the fog after the steamer
backed away. but they heard the waves
voices echo from its walls.
Close examination of the Columbia at
her dock tonight revealed creator dam
hold was flooded with hundreds of tons
OF water, her bow plates wore crumpled
for fifteen feet. her port anchor WAS torn
away. and several persons aboard were
were Mrs. Elizabeth Ogilvle, an elderly
woman. bound for her daughters home
In PittsburR. Her leg was broken when
she was hurled to the deck.
Stopped in the Fog.
Captain Mitchell explained that the
heard tho echo Of his fox horn from the
berg. Aftor the impact he said water
poured into the forward hold TO a depth
| OF nine feet. The pumps were set going,
the. thrush with sandbags and other
| make shifts.
Passengers and crew we're in many in
stances thrown TO the floor. Tom Muir
| ray. the forecastle lookout, WAS buried
under the Ice which poured down upon
the vessels deck. When the shipmates
in the dining saloon were swept bare
OF the evening meal and stewards were
sent sprawling In the general crash OF
crockery.
The eightyeight first cabin passengers
| had hardly tasted food when the ship
struck. There was a momentary silence
after the crash of failing dishes. which
was broken by a man who arose in his
| scat and shouted;
"Tcer'
Panic Quickly Stopped.
But DR., David Mccurdy. the ships sur
geon, cried:
Keep your seats, stay where you are;
there ig no danger
| He had little need to eXhort the pas
| sengers. however, for there were no
| further symptoms of panic. They went
| to the deck to gain a view Of the ice
| berg. Several OF them said II lowered
| more than 100 feet above them. and was
a quarter of mile in length. The foE
| prevented accurate estimate of its ex-
| tent. however The vessel was then 1920
miles from New York. but as the pumps
wero controlling the water in the hold
| Captain Mitchell held his ship 10 her
| course without summoning aid.
The wireless sent word OF the collision
TO the Columbia's sister ship, the Fur
| nessa, and the message was relayed to
| Glasgow and cabled to New York