The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-03-30
Big Steamer Tossed Like Cork In Tremendous Storm on Sound Passeng- CTS Huddle Below Decks
 Matches Battered, Ship Fights Wind To Port.
Tough Lines Broken Like Strings on Ice Encrusted Boat Liferaft Weighing ,O0O Pounds Swept To Sea When Huge Waves Break Over Bow.

In one of the most unexpect- ed and worst gales of the win ter, during which shipping on the Sound was compelled to give way to the elements and run before the wind, the steamer Park City, today linped into port, ice-enerusted and minus one of her ,OOO pound I1fe-rafts which had been torn from the lashings of the hurricane deck and hurled into the waters.
 It is estimated that the gale at its height blew at a velocity Of between 60 and 70. miles per hour. The loss to the steamer will be slight for it is expected. that the raft will be washed on the Long Island shore by the high northwest winds and sal vaged by beachcombers.
 The Park City left Port Jefferson, N Js on her regular Tuesday run at o'clock As she passed out of the Port Jefferson channel Captain c. D. Tooker. an experienced navigator. saw no forebodings of the conditions ahead. Taking his course north by east he had scarcely covered four Of the 1S miles between Long Island and Bridgeport light. when he en- counkeFed a stsn sea which broke high over the port quarter. completely inundating tha nnain-deck forward
 
 ward doors to be securely battened. About eight women passengers hud- dled i'm the after-caibins and a mum Der or men Ioungsd on the deck be- low.
 At esso the gale increased with sudden violence wrenching loose the big foot life raft dashed on the after section Of tEle hurricane deck. The hhlf-inch manila. lasE1angs were severed as if by a knife and the raft was reported overheard on the star boa3d side / The vessel, one Of the staunchest on the Sound, heeled well to starboard and the creaking of the the passengers. They were imme- dia1e1y assured of their safety. It was hard to make them believe it with the volume of water striking high toward the upper-deck and boonfng over the bow as the little Cfa1I suck her nose through the big waves that came directly on the quarter.
 Captain Tooker changed hds course slightly to the westward and ran di- rect1y into the teeth of the wind, later coastdng down with the gale towards the Bridgeport light.
 Tn the condition Of the sea when the raft was reported overheard. Capt Tooker at once saw the futi1ity Of at tempting to change his course and recover the raft which would have required the launching Of a small boat at the. risk. of human life, and he continued for Bridgeport
 The passengers were then given an Dppor unity of witnessing an unusual scene as the crew under command of First Mate John Howell were piped on Heck and ordered to make fast the sew sraI life boats and rafts on the deck above. With the wind blowing so vio- fently that anything would be swept from the deck the crew went a1oft and lashing themselves fast from davit to aavdt doubled the Iashfngs on the boatA- Had such action not have been taken if Is believed that at least one more boat would have gone by the board
 Captain Tooker when interviewed by reporter for The Farmer, with char acteristfc seaman,s s 'modesly discIaimed any great hazard but said: while I have seen worse gales on the Sound, today's was a pretty bad one.'s