Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-23
Storm Toll
On North Atlantic

soclated Prcss.) = The hurricanes
whole gales, half gales and storms
Which nave been sweeping the Allan
NC Tor nearly two months, have spent
thelf force, the weather bureau re-
! ports, but in their wake they have
left stranded and sunkcn ships, un-
solved and mysterious tragedies OF
the sea, and n series of DELAYED
runs for transatlantic liners which
mas not been equalled since war days
NOW comes the worse month of the
year. January brings more vicious
i pounding gales to Atlantic ships than
any other. But the weather bureau
joins with maritime experts, this
| year. III the belief that it cannot pos
slDly equal the late November to
January l record.
That seven week period which came
10 It's end January left a record
hard for any like period to approach.
The Atlantic claimed II ships: it
took IS men to their deaths: it made
% giant liners more than 10 hours
latc-most of them were from to 5
days behind schedule: and it left
the unsolvable mystery of what hap
pcned to other ships.
In addition there were accidents or
near accidents. on the Sea of Mar
mora. the Pacific. the Great Lakes,
the Baltic sea--but the hurricanes
which crossed the Atlantic were the
worst
: Secretary Hughes brought the
first great hurricane with him when
he returned from South America in
November. 1t swept out from be-
hind Bermuda with Il force of more
than 100 miles an hour. 1t tore
across the Atlantic. hit the French
coast and tore right back again.
And on November % there began to
be reports of trouble at sea.
Five Canadian fishing schooncrs
failed to report that day. ANXIETY
is felt for them said tho dispatches
Later four got in: the fifth is in the
list of missing ships.
On the same day Il bOOtlCggcr went
to pieces on Long Island. and resi- =
dents Of the vicinity got most of the
cargo, according to the prohibition
agcnts. Towards night bottle was
washed up on Long Island with the
story of six men who had fought
death two weeks in an open boat.
Two days later the Italian liner
PrCsidentc Wilson crept into Quaran-
tine here. and with her came the first
reports of what actually was hap
pening out on tho Atlantic.
"StormS?' said her officers.
! storms" We never experienced
anything like it. The gale at times
WAS 12o miles an hour"
For seven weeks since then. incom-
ing liners have told the same story.
So often has it been retold that il mad
to b" particularly desperate fight to
set into the news.
HIrt from then until January I
hardly ship entered New York
harbor that did not show the scars
of it's fight. And daily there were
reports of : @ : received of founder
ing ships. of boats driven on unpro-
tectcd shores. of liners with passcn-
gers battcned in to keep them safe
from waves which crashed over
smoke stacks-in short, of everything
terrible the sea can do.
On December "A the liner President
Garfield brought in n three ma Stcr
she had towcd from off Nantucket
The Rosa Eerlita. the schooner, was
in bad way and her crew was
starving. Two days later the Mcnom-
incc. another liner. came in three
days late with a fishing crew of four
Those men had fred their schooner.
which was leaking and crumblinc
under them.
Such great ocean travellers as the
Caronia. the Bercngal'ia. the Olympic,
! the Majestic. the iceland, Samland
and many others, came in. all days
late. They told OF terrific battles
with the waves. La Satoie of the
French line reported 100 mile gales
and 90 foot waves.
Ships PIT into Halifax to got out of