Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-09-19
REYNOLDS TELLS
Of ICE BERCS
Ship on Which He and Other
Local Men Were Passengers
i Hit Off New Foundland

Among the many and varied ex-
periences which a local party con-
sisting of George +. Reynolds, Isaac
Alpern, John B. Cannon and Charles
A. Reynolds encountered on their
trip to Europe this summer, the
most exciting was the meeting with
an iceberg five days after they sailed,
while headed for Norway. The
Bergensfjord, ESQ miles off the coast
of Newfoundland. ran into a gigantic
mountain of ice at 2:30 in the morn
ing while Mr.. Reynolds and Mr..
Alpern were the only passengers on
deck, the rest having long since been
in their hunks. A very vivid account
OF the accident which might have
proved fatal If not for the presence
of mind of the captain, was given
this morning by Mr.. Reynolds and
supplemented by the accounts rams
lated from a Norwegian paper.
Mr.. Reynolds. earlier in the e
ming had been talking to the ship
physician who told him that the ship
was in the immediate vicinity of ice
bergs. the information being certain
because of the temperature of the
water and the air. Mr.. Reynolds,
knowing the danger, but imparting
his knowledge to no one at all. sat
reading with MI. Alpern until 1880
when upon the latter's query as to
why Nj. Reynolds was sitting up SO
late. the response was: Il want TO
brush up a little on my German"
Thereupon both men went to bed.
At 1880 Mr.. Reynolds, who had not
slept heavily, heard the grinding OF
the engines as though they were be-
ing thrown into reverse. Awakening
Mr.. Alpern. the two went up on deck
throwing their suits over their night
clothes. On deck the men were alone,
no alarm having been given, except
for members of the crew who were
working at the lifeboats. The
gines continued their reverse Tor a
time after which at 3 o'clock. the
steamer was again on Its way at a
very slow rate, the damage having
been ascertained to have amounted
to the breaking of one of the pro-
peIler blades and a large dent IN
the side of the steamer.
The following account is from the
Tidens Tegn, a paper published In
C~hristiana:
The Bergensfjord arrived from
New York yesterday and, as a tele-
gram had informed, the ship had
undergone an accident which might
lIANt a 5VA ia
While in the Atlantic the boat hit
an iceberg and received an injury
on one of her propellers. We have
interviewed some of those on board
and repeat here the story of one:
1T was misty when we got to
New Foundland and as 1t was
known that there were icebergs In
the vicinity we did not go full
speed. Tuesday evening we passed
Cape Race and during the night,
about 2:30 a. m, we met the Ice
berg. Those of us who were asleep
were awakened by the bang of the
ship striking the ice and many of
the passengers rushed to the deck
in their night clothes. 1here they
were met by the pilot wno told them
that There was no danger.
'"The iceberg was on our side and
reached higher than the upper deck
Of the ship, and with the part in
the water one can understand how
large IL was. 1t was biting cold and
ali the Messengers treasured return
ed to their cabins.
1.-THE ice struck somewhere be-
meath the water for the wings of n
propeller were twisted and on one
side of the bow an indentation was
made.
"'Captain Bull had been on the
bridge all night and day off the New
foundland shore and at all times
proceeded with the utmost care. We
also saw other icebergs later and on
ccoun of the reduced speed were
a day late upon arrival
The Bergensfjord had twenty first
class passengers. forty-one second
class and $50 third class"
Tka fn1tomipC "a a later account
from the same paper, written after
an investigation:
Under the leadership of Assessor
Aars and with Director G.. Lie and
w. p. Laurentzen, owner of the YES
sci. an interview was held yesterday
in the case of the Bergensfjord which
had recently met an iceberg. Cap
tain Bull reported the following
statements taken from the ship log:
"'Bergensfiord left New York
July 20. with LIPS tons of goods and
22S passengers. When leaving. 1t
was cloudy with occasional rain
squalls. July sO-Misty with great
mist banks. July 31-Cloudy and
ship rolling greatly. August South
wind and fog: 1915 a. M, slowed
speed; 1920. fog lifted; 5:45 p. M,
fog. slow speed. Extra watch on
0AAukts $50 h h'f bb"tA y WV
directly ahead. Engine reversed
with both machines and given hard
righ. twist causing our escape from
direct hit. Iceberg touched the first
port hole and scraped along the side.
As Il was a little past midships. ma
chine WA stopped. Then hard left
twist and slow forward movement
until entirely clear OF the ice. BY
careful investigation II was found
that there was a large dent both in
side and outside in the ribs of the
vessel. After that ship stopped until
$3.50 a. m, when we started slowly.
II cleared at 1875 p. m. and was
given full speed. Noticed that the
shin shook more than usual and was
found that two propeller blades were
bent. The speed was reduced to half.
At T:iO. passed another iceberg on
ieeward side, about seventy feet
high; 1900, met a GROWER and re-
duced speed 20 half"
Captain Bull explained that he was
on the bridge at all times during n
fog and that the temperature of the
water was taken every half hour.
Mr.. Reynolds party made an ex'
tensive trip after spending some
time IN Norway. Landing In Berger
the party crossed 10 Christiana by
automobile. through Sweden and
crossed 10 Baltic. Cologne was visit
ed and Berlin entered through Bel
GUM. Among other places tn,
palace at Pottsdam was visited. Wit
headquarters at Paris Mr.. Reynoldl
and two % the party spent o u day
on the battlenelds while Mr.. AiperI
waited parts Of central Europe.
Mr.. Reynolds expects 20 give hi
-amufoNaa haunuof nj the packe'