People's Pilot, Volume 4, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1895 — LA GASCOGNE SAFE. [ARTICLE]

LA GASCOGNE SAFE.

BIC french steamer arrives AT NEW YORK. Her Machinery Disabled and She Was Unable to Make the Port —Tugs Go to Her Assistance and Bring Her In in Safety. New York, May 22.—The French line steamer La Gascogne, Capt. Baudelon, Havre May 11, a little more than three days overdue, was sighted east of . Fire island at 10 a. m. this morning, moving slowly. She had on board ' ninety-five saloon and 402 steerage passengers. La Gascogne has no doubt met with some accident to her machinery, as she has set signals indicating that she needs the assistance of two tugs. From this it would apepar that she'cannot depend upon her own machinery to reach port or that her steering gear has become deranged and she fears to enter the channel without help. Two tugs have gone to the assistance of La Gascogne. The French liner's officers are the same, w’ith one exception, as those that were in command during its memorable passage ending Feb. 11, when it reached port after sixteen days at sea, having suffered two breaks in its machinery. The one not among its present list of officers is Chief Engineer Martine, who won fame and honorable decoration by the French government and the gratitude of thousands by his able performance of duty on the occasion of its last mishap. Its officers are Commander Baudelon, Second Captain Masclet, Chief Officer Conti, Second Officer Piton, Third Officer Bandegren, Chief Engineer Ltbars, promoted from second engineer; Second Engineer Gouverne, Third Engineer Vallin, Fourth Engineer Ledref, Purser Japhet, Assistant Purser La Chevtllerie, and Physician> Gervais. Agent Forget says that La Gascogne was fitted with new boilers last year in order that its steam power might be increased. Originally its boiler < stood a steam pressure of 150 pounds to the Square inch. They were supplanted by boilers of 225 pounds pressure, which i»- . greased the strain on the machinery—which had not b'eeh Changed—and increased the revolutions of the piston from fifty-three to sixty-two a minute, the piston could not stand, and Jan. 26, two days after it started on its first voyage with the increased steam power, its piston broke.