New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-03-30
Skipper Practically Helpless.


Before daybreak another blade broke
from the propeller-boss, leaving the two
blades of little assistance to the skipper
in keeping his vessel head-on to the seas.
On Friday both these blades broke OIL
and. being single screw vessel. the
Texas drifted before the storm.
Her decks were constantly awash. and
as she heeed over I'm the trough of the
sea tons of water poured into her hold.
Captain Willquist and his crew accepted
the situation calmly. but the passengers.
uuaccustomed To such a pnSht. became
frightened. The skipper and his officers
assured them that they could keep aiioat
indefinitely until help came. but ne knew
that within a day the northwester would
blow the Texas far to the suthard Of tho
transatlantic lanes.
The passengers were hopeful until
word reached them that the wireless Of
the Texas had been put out of commits
sion. and that the wireless operator had
been injured. With this information
hone left them. and all were on the verge
Of panic when order was restored by the
words of Axel Geerman, the silent Swede,
who was an expert in electricity and
wireless equipment. III fix that wire
less or bust" ne is quoted as saying.
He had set up wireless plants for the
Mexican government. and was on his
way TO Mexico then. He assured the
passengers he would have the plant in
working order within ten hours. The
task was greater than he had antici-
patod. bat he stuck to it for almost
twcntv-four hours. and finally sent cut
the < O. :. call that brought the Tictgen
20 the disabled Texas.
German. with the aid Of a handful of
sa'lormen. climbed the foremost ana the
malnmast while the Texas was founder
ing about i'm stiff northwest gale and
repaired the antcnnae This job finished.
he went into the wireless room and got
the plant in working order. BY this time
the wireless operator OF the Texas had
recovered from his injuries and sent out
subsequent calls. while German took a
'ow hours sleep.
Told 10 Allow for Drifting.
No answer came until late Friday night
when the Tietsen answered the call and
asked definitely for the position offthe
Texas. The operator sent the infCrma-
ton promptly. and on direction from Cap
tain Wilquist advised Captain Thomson,
Of the Tietgen. 10 allow for the drifting
Of the Texas before the northwester.
When the Tietgen was sighted on Sat
Jrddy morning every one on board shouted
and sang. after which many fell upon
their knees and offered prayers for de-
liverance. The Tietgen came on slowly,
going 10 windward OF the Texas. \ heavy
sea was running. and it was impossible TO
lower the passengers over the side in
lifeboats.
Two boats were let down and then filed
with passengers, all Of whom were low
cred one and two at time in a large
basket rugged 70 the davts. Fifteen
women and nine children were cared for
first after which the male passengers
were sent over the side. The same proc
css of handling the passengers was used
on the Tietgen. which kept off about three
lengths
Two lifeboats Of the Texas We're used in
the transfer. A ve-year-old child called
Borge Andersen fell into the sea from
the basket as he was about to be hauled
aboard the Tietgen. but a sailorman got
him before he went below the surface
Ss4eral women passengers on the Tiet-
gYe acted as nurses for a half dozen OF
the Texas passengers who were suffering
from exposure. shock ana minor bruises