New-York tribune., 1919-09-19
Ward Liner Fights
Storm 80 Hours;
Escapes Disaster
Mexico Narrowly Misses
Waterspout; Spanish Ship
Believed Disabled; Grew
of Lost Schooner Back

Battered for more than thirty hours
by storm which never let up in its
Jury. and narrowly escaping water
spout that came within sixtey feet of
her bow, the Mexico. of the Ward Line,
arrived from Havana yesterday.
The storm, which swept from the
Atlantic Ocean over Southern Florida
and caused a tidal wave at Corpus
Christi, Tex. came upon the Mexico
off Cape Ilatteras on the outgoing. voy-
age from New York to Havana and was
described by Captain f. L. Miller as
the worst he ever encountered.
In all his experience at sea, Captain
Miller said no storm he had been
through was of more than fourteen
hours duration. On September s the
Mexico was caught in the midst of the
storms attack and the seagoing quail
ties Of the ship and her crews ability
were taxed to the utmOsc while the
storm lasted. The waves swept clear
broke amidships. Ports of the cabin
deck were smashed open and several
cabins were flooded
Narrowly Escape Disaster
AT IL o'clock on the morning Of
September II waterspout suddenly
appeared. 1t was thrty-threc feet
high and fifty feet in diameter and
swept across the bow Of the ship from
east to west less than sixty feet
away, making approximately eighty
miles an hour Over the stem of the
spout an UMBRELLA shaped top of spray,
which seemed to meet the clouds,
spread out for 200 feet on both sides.
OF Miami. Fla. the Mexico passed
the steamships Monterey and Creole,
both disabled.
The Mexico carried 271 passengers
The Spanish passenger steamer
Nalbanera of the Pinillos line, now
more than a week overdue at Havana
on board, is believed to have been dis
abled by the hurricane and stranded
on some shoa] or coral key, according
to Captain Miller.
United States Navy Gives Aid
Since the storm feeble wireless
messages have been heard by the Key
West and Havana stations. but they
were not sufficiently distinct to ena-
BILE the listeners to determine the
positions of the ship.
At the request of the United States
naval authorities, the wireless opera
tors on the Mexico made every effort
to catch any possible message from
the ship on the way from New York to
IldVdHd, Dub WlLHOur success.
Captain Miller could not give the
number of passengers on the Spanish
vessel, but it is estimated at between
1000 and 500.
Captain wilkins and six members OF
the crew of the schooner Maud II.
Dudley. which was abandoned off the
Cuban coast after being wrecked in
the hurricane, arrived here yesterday
on the steamer Lake Ledan from Glen
fuogos, Cuba: The schooner, which was
bound from Pensacola, Fla to Havana
with cargo of lumber. was within
sight: Of the Havana light, September
10. when she was caught in the storm.
Violent squalls, accompanied by trc-
mcndcus seas which washed over the
vessel, resulted in her rolling over on
her side, Captain Wilkins said.
Efforts to right her proved futile be-
cause Of her watcrlogged condition.
A school Of two dozen sharks hovcred
round the distressed vessel until the
next morning when the Lake Ledan
was sighted and her lfeboats took off
Captain Wilkins and the crew.