Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-08-07
A MIRACLE.
Steamer Columbia
Runs On Iceberg
Fifteen Feet Of Bow Crush
ed, Forward Hold Flooded.
Several Passengers and a Sea.
man Injured In Shock,
Accident Occurs Oct. Z, 1860
Miles From New York.
Signals Prevent Another Steamer
From Similar Fate.

New York. AHg. 6.-Bearing visible
proof of her collision with an iceberg
on Aug. =. the Anchor Line steamer
Columbia reached New York today
from Glasgow under her own steam.
Tie Columbia averaged Il knots an
hour between the spot where the acct
dent occurred. about 10 miles off the
coast Of Newfoundland to this city
The Columbias 59S passengers had
lust sat down to dinner when the col
tsion occurred. Because of the heavy
fog the vessels engines had been stop
ped. tnheralded by the customary
drop in temperature. the massive lines
of the iceberg doomed up in front of
tie vessel almost at the moment of col
lision. There was a crash ds the sharp
stem cut into the floating mass and
tons of ice ratified from the side of the
berg TO the vessels deck.
Capt. George Mitchell, who was at
the bridge, signalled with all dispatch
for fun speed astern and the liner
baCied away before her officers or
crew could take. in the white gloom.
tho measure of the ice mountain they
had encountered
Close examination of the Columbia
at her dock tonight revealed the full
measure Of the damage as greater
than At first reported. Her hold was
flooded with hundreds of tons of wa
ter The plates of her bow We're erum-
pied for 10 feet, her port anchor had
been left in the grip of an iceberg,
and several persons aboard We're suf
foring from injuries sustained in the
crash. Among them was Mrs. Eliza
beth Oeilvie an elderly woman. bound
for her daughters home in Pittsburg
Her leg vas broken when she WAS
hurled 10 the deck.
Capt. Mitchell explained the stop
ping of the vessel in the fog with tine
declaration that he had heard the
echo of his fog horn thrown back Ny
tic Eere. After the impact he said. wa
ter poured into the forward hold TO
the depth of nine feet The pumps
were set going. while the crew worked
feveriehly to stop the thrush with sand
bars and other makeshifts.
Passengers and crew in many in
Stances we're thrown to the floor. Tom
Murray. the foreeastle lookout, was
buried under the ice which poured
Gown upon the vessels deck as she
poked her nose II feet into the berg.
The crew dug him out. guided by his
uplifted hands protruding from the ice.
He was seuseless. Tables in the din
nE saloon were swept bare of the eve
ming meal. stewards We're sent sprawl
ing in the general crash of crockery
and even the lookout UP in the crows
nest rocked uneasily in his high perch.
fearful that he would drop at any mo-
ment to the deck.
The SO first cabin passengers had
hardly tasted food when the ship
struck ice. There was silence for
moment after the crash of falling
dishes. broken by man who arose in
his seat and shouted
"TCei"
Or. David IcCurdie. the ships sur
Geon, was the next to break the silence
Keep your seats" he commanded as
calmly as he could. Stay where you
are. there is no danger"
He mad little need to exhort the pas
senGers. however. for none of them
evinced symptoms of panic. They went
70 the deck for a view Of the iceberg
The tos prevented accurate estimate
% its extent. Fifteen minutes after
the accident. the Columbia cleared the
fog zone ana sighted vessel. without
wireless, hearing directly towards the
berg. Immediately signals We're burned
in the international code. reading
You are running into danger
The vessel was then 1850 miles from
New York and as the pumps were low
ering the water in the hold Capt,
Mitchell held his ship to her course
without summoning aid The wireless
sent word Of the accident to the CO.
lumhia's sister ship the Furnessa then
within the fog zone and the message
was relayed to Glasgow and cabled to
New York.
Cant Mitchell said tonight that the
accident was the closest call to mar
atimo disaster that he had ever exper-
fenced.