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annelise
New on board
USA
3 Posts |
 Posted - 14/10/2003 : 07:39:50
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| My grandmother, Olga Liske, arrived at Ellis Island March 24, 1911 aboard the President Lincoln (formerly the Berlin). The crossing from Hamburg, Germany was almost tragic - the ship hit an iceberg and took on enough water that my grandmother sat at the top bunk in steerage, locked into her cabin, with feet dangling in the water. The ship barely limped into the harbor. Has anyone else had a relative on this ship with a similar story? Where would I find more specific information on the ship's history? |
Edited by - annelise on 14/10/2003 21:31:27 |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2003 : 17:13:40
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Hi,
had the ship SS President Lincoln two collisions during spring 1911?
On the 22nd of January, 1911, the ship Tasso (build 1890). was badly damaged in collision with the Hamburg-America Line steamer PRESIDENT LINCOLN in fog near the Straits of Dover. Tasso barely managed to reach Dover.
I assume Pres. Lincoln was passing through the British Channel before crossing the Atlantic.
Jan |
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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1297 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2003 : 18:29:57
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| Jan, where did you find that information? We do not have it in our ships database so I would like to add it. |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2003 : 19:06:45
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Hi,
I read it on Swiggum's TheShipsList... 
Scroll down to "TASSO / ELEFSIS / PHOTIOS 1890"
Jan |
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annelise
New on board
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2003 : 21:12:35
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Hi!
The collision I know about was with an iceberg, not another ship. The story my grandmother told was that a young man - son of someone wealthy on the ship - became distraught with seasickness and threw himself overboard. The father paid the captain to delay the voyage while they searched for the son's body. It was during this time that they hit the iceberg. The ship's pump wasn't working properly, so they couldn't keep up with the water they were taking on. I don't know how serious the actual damage to the ship was, or whether the worst problem was the pump. I know they locked all steerage passengers into their cabins due to lack of lifeboats and these locked in passengers truly believed they were sinking. As they limped into New York harbor the band on deck began playing. At this point, the steerage passengers thought they were going down. What actually began going down was the water level in their cabins. I don't know at what place in the voyage, geographically, the iceberg was hit. Is it possible, because the captain went off the scheduled route and was bribed that the record of this was covered up? I'm hoping that someone else has heard this story. . . it may be the only way to find the information if there is no official record.
quote:
Originally posted by jwiborg
Hi,
had the ship SS President Lincoln two collisions during spring 1911?
On the 22nd of January, 1911, the ship Tasso (build 1890). was badly damaged in collision with the Hamburg-America Line steamer PRESIDENT LINCOLN in fog near the Straits of Dover. Tasso barely managed to reach Dover.
I assume Pres. Lincoln was passing through the British Channel before crossing the Atlantic.
Jan
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Jo Anne Sadler
Norway Heritage Veteran
USA
1100 Posts |
Posted - 14/10/2003 : 22:25:44
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Was going to my local library today and they have the New York Times on microfilm, here is the article regarding the voyage:
Bad Seas Tossed Liner-New York Times, March 25, 1911
The President Lincoln Had a Tempestuous Voyage.
Buffeted by seas the Hamburg American liner President Lincoln arrived yesterday from Hamburg a day late. Bad weather was almost continual during all of her twelve days’ trip. When the liner tried to stop at Cherbourg to take on passengers and mail, it was so rough that the tender could not get alongside and the vessel had to keep on her way. When longitude 28 degrees was reached she ran into the worst storm of the voyage. A hurricane kicked up such a sea that the vessel was raked by mighty waves. A hurricane kicked up such a sea that the vessel was raked by mighty waves. The ship was slowed down and oil was poured on the waters.
Between decks a collection of animals made a great and continual din as the storm pounded the vessel. There was a wombat, a scappilala, hyenas, eight antelope, two llamas, five deer, a giant wart hog, a gnu and seven horses aboard. Besides, there were
2,000 canaries from the Hartz mountains.
When the President Lincoln was running through a wild sea, Schlerme Levin, a Russian lad of eighteen, traveling alone in steerage, committed suicide by jumping overboard. He had attracted some attention because of his persistent talk that he was pursued by Cossacks and Russian secret police.
Max Jablensky, a second cabin passenger, attempted suicide by cutting his throat. As soon as he cut himself he became remorseful and shouted for help. The ship’s doctor pulled him around and he will have to explain to the Immigration authorities why he attempted suicide before they will let him join his relatives in this city.
No iceberg or rich father but a very bad voyage.
Do you have a copy of the original passenger list? It might have some more information and what class of passage your Grandmother had. If first or second class, she was processed for immigration aboard ship, not on Ellis Island.
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Borge
Veteran Moderator
Norway
1297 Posts |
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annelise
New on board
USA
3 Posts |
Posted - 15/10/2003 : 02:51:27
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| Thank you so much for the information! I have one living relative who survived this voyage, and at 99 years of age she still won't talk about it. I have found the ship records with their passage listed. I still wonder about the iceberg and the bribe -- it's still possible it happened and was covered up. I really appreciate the article from the Times -- I'd never heard about all of the animals! My grandmother always loved canaries! |
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jwiborg
Norway Heritage Veteran
Norway
4961 Posts |
Posted - 15/10/2003 : 16:33:36
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In the Ellis Island manifest, his name is "Schlonne Lewin", 18 year old, from Homel, Russia, and of Jewish descent.
It says he drowned on March 18th. The manifest also states that he "jumped into the sea".
Jan |
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S/S President Lincoln - Iceberg Cover up?
