New-York tribune., 1922-01-27
Ships Ladder
Ripped Awayby
Gigantic Wave
Violent Hurricanes Keen
Atlantic Vessels From
Coming Into Port; Gales
Worst in Eight Years
Buffetings Given 2 Boats
Stockholm Arrives With Re-
ports of Seas Crashing
High Above Her Forcpeak

Hurricane weather on the Atlantic.
the most violent that has been re-
ported within eight years, is holding
back westbound vessels. some of which
advised by radio yesterday that they
Will be from one to two days late in
reaching port.
The weather generally has been ey-
ceedlngy rough due to the persist
encc Of northwest gales The masters
o. vessels arriving yesterday said
that rough weather was seasonablc
and would not havo retarded them
greatly had it not been for intervals
of hurricanes which compelled vessels
to heave to to avoid mishnp.
The Stockholm, of the Swedish
american Line. in yesterday from
Gothenburg, brought to port abun-
dance Of evidence Of the drubbinr She
had received. Her fore rigging was
crusted with thick ice, one Of the few
things forward, the skipper said, that
was not carried away. On the star
board side just aft the bridge was
shattered tackle that held the Vessels
accommodation ladder when she de-
parted from Gothenbulg. The ladder
iy1nE snug along the side near the
main deck withstood the heavy wealth
er until the Stockholm was in mid
Atlantic. and there wave demol
ished it.
Gigantic Wave Docs 1t
Captain j. N. c. Anderbcrg and
those on the bridge with him were the
only persons aboard ship that saw the
plank destroyed. The skipper said that
cumulative wave curling high above
sne 1orcpcak crashed down upon the
oecK forward, bending the Stockholm
under 1t until her decks were awash.
AS she arose out of the surge the
water rushed aft and ripped the heavy
ladder clear OF its lashings.
The men on the bridge hurried to tho
starboard side to see what had hap
pencd, and presently they saw section
OF the ladder thirty-fve feet long
hurled in the direction the vessel was
Ssteamlng on the top Of q wave. which
landed it in the rigging Of the fore
mast. The Stockholm was then run
nIng under mere steerage way and for
eight hours suffered severe beating.
Nnen the weather moderated and a
survey was made of the damage aboard
,t was found that the wave had bent in
the steel door of the main companion
way and ripped off a half-dozen bolts
that held it in place. Five square ports
on the starboard side made Of one-inch
glass, secured in brass fittings, were
spilntered and through the openings
went a flood of water that completely
swamped the room of the shjp's
surgeon.
Here and there aboard the Stockholm
when she came in yesterday were see
tlons Of stout planking serving as
temporary patches for the sections
damaged by the storm.
Little Sleep for Skipper
Another vessel from the northland
that got her share of the "Atlantic's
best" wa the Bergensfjord of the Nor
wegian American Line from Christi
ania. She also had frosted dressing,
but was not damaged extensively. Can
tain Ole Bull said he spent most Of
his time on the bridge. taking a nap
now and then in a chair when the
weather cased up a bit.
Two seamen on the Bergensfiord
we're knocked down on the boat deck
and hurled against the rail. but neither
was seriously injured. steeragc pas
senger was thrown against d glass
door, which broke and cut him severe
ly about the arms and shoulders.
terday after tussle with rough seas
was the Royal Mail liner Araguaya,
from Bermuda. When she left Haml-
ton on Tcsday all her electric fans were
running because the passengers COM
planned of the warm and MINDLESS at
Within twenty-1our hours
the tempe rature dropped 45 degrees
and those who had complained of the
sultry air were clamoring for hot
scotches, toddies and swizzels.
When the vessel came within the
three-mlc limit the bar was closed
and only those passengers ~-no had
drawn wee gill or two in advance
were able to combat the chilling winds
Of the Atlantic.