The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-08-14
LOCAL INTELLIGENCE.

terday about 80 A. NJ our haroor scene OF live
ly commotion. A feet Of tugs might be seen mingle
together surrounding object in the water which,
| fret appearance, presented n number Of steampump
supported on platforms trying to pump the river dry
Upon approach and fairer view Of the object til
upper timber. and frame Of vessel hove in view apps
ently cut in two abaf the main mast with the foreoo
just out of the water and the American flag waving proud
y from the cutwater Of the once noble old gae Cor
gressn Feeling DESTROYS of giving readers and tn
public abroad detailed statement Of the appearance
the wreck and the odas 0pondi of the indefatigabl
contractors in accomplishing their purpose We calle
upon the Quartermastes Department for the facilities
carrying out desire Whereupon, through the courte
~ of James Lowry Esq, Of the Quarermasters Depart
ment, rendered the Use Of the saunch and fee
tug " Samuel Wnpenny," which ran along side til
wreck, and awaited our leisure Upon boarding til
wreck her appearance struck very much with the
diton Of poor old Pcody: All covered with seed ant
barnaoles." Her stern and aiterpar is blown of abou
fifteen feet abaft the main mast and she is burned dowr
within about two feet of the futtock tmbers in the frame
OF the berth deck Her hold as 1t looks, Is an indscrm
nate mass of blue mud and oysters the bivalyes
the largest size Several Of her mandeck guns are vs
BILE with number Of round shot and, upon close obser
walton, large lot of ke4tdgG and tanks anchors and
other paraphernaia From the bulkhsad aft both siei
forward are thrumed with old canvass and secured by
plank to keep the water out On platform upon the
afterpar of the wreck two steampumpn OPERATION
throwing streams of about the size ola mans body
In consequence of the dry dock at the navy yard not be-
ing ready the wreck laid ashore on Ferry Point flats,
in fifteen feet Of water The wreck drawing nineteen feet
four feet being in the mud where she will remain until
Tuesday, when she will he taken to the yard and docked
Last November, D. A. Underdown 4 Co., (the other
members of the firm being John Brown and o. T. Malt
W. took The contract to raise the Congress" Shortly
after taking the contract, they commenced making
preliminary examinations, preparatory TO commence
ing work, but were called off in the meantime by the
government to raise the ram Albemarle sunk by Lieu
tenant Cushman at Plymouth, which they successfully
accomplished delivering the at the Navy Yard. In
June they commenced again the Congress" and with
the aid of their divers and submarine armor, bukhead
ed the Congress and made all ready to start the pumps
on her by an accident to the "Jean Sands" pump the
upon being raised settled back to her old bed The
interval occupied in 'makng assurance doubly sure'
So on saturday. the contractors started to work with five
powerful pumps determined to be prepared against every
contingency of failure and feeling confident of their sue
cess At about o'clock p NJ the tug "Jean Sands with
two pumps on board, Tug Louis with one pump on
board and two pumps on the wreck with the tug "Chow
an work. The pump the "Louis >
after working about half hour, gave ont. Nothing
daunted and such contingencies being provided against
by the foresight and experience of the ndefatigable
contractors work kept up by the other four pumps
until $3.50 o'clock Sunday morning. when the wreck
Aoatcd off, and was Strengthened up the channel to Nor.
folk The four pumps kept mp to their full capacity
in order to keep the wreck clear and had the slightest
accident occurred while crossing the deep water towards
sewels Point the wreck would have gone down Fverthns
worked to a charm. ATT o'clock A. NJ, Sunday, the
wreck was met off sewela Point by the tugs stephen
Decatur" Francs King" "U 8. Tug" Poppy" "Chesa.
,eake' and Erie" which hitched on and lent hand
bring the old Congress in Coming up the channel
he feet Joined by several steamers of the Quarter
masters Department, with number of spectators on
'oard who made the welkin ring with their enthusi-
stlc shouts of joy and welcome From Town Point to the
Flats where the Congress layed shore the river
vas ono scene of commotion and the wharves were
lined with spectators.
The modas operaadi by which the Congress was
raised we shall endeavor to describe All the bukhead
Ing and thrumng of the wreck done under water by
means Of divers In submarine armour. The principal
livers al work upon the Congress" were Messrs. L.
?. Wyman and John Green who remained under water
Ind worked with their tools from four to six hours at the
line, emergency required. When everything was pre-
Jared for the pumps at low tide the top tmbe of the
wreck just protruding above the water the pumps were
tut to work, and the wreck gradually foated to the
'urface. The steam.pumps on board of the wreckng
teamer "Jean Sands" Acting Ensign Henry p Hatha-
way, Volunteer Navy Commanding were worked by and
charge Of William H, Dukehart an able and accom-.
lished engineer and machinlst from New York. The
jumps, two in number, had the following capacity One
S-inch pump throwing $4,000 gallons of water Der
minute, and one ench pump throwing $500 gallons per
minute. The Jean Sands" is also provided with q |
steam derrick and purchase for striking in and out the
onderous machinery used generally for wrecking The
,ump board the "Louis" was l0.inch with ca
acity Of 900 gallons per minute. The two pumps on
he wreck in charge of Mr.. Riley an efficient and
ltegent engineer, Their capacity were 500 gallons
er minute for the 6inch pump and $500 gallons per
minute for the 9nch pump It will therefore be seen
hat the five pumps had capacity of 1850 gallons Der
linute, but In consequence of the pump board the
Louis giving out the capacity reduced to l60O
allons per minute, which the sequal developed was
IMPLY sufficient to carry out the successful result
'heved by the energy and perseverance of Messrs |
nderdown, Brown Maltvy, who deserve great credit
II the result of such enterprise, which has fully
the fact that the power Of man is mighty
nd wonderful"
Tho Congress " was 4+gun frigate, and had been
onnected with many and we'll known associations of our
ANY, On the 10th of March, 1851, about a. NJ, she
lew up of Neports News Point having been set fire
her officers and crew. as they abandoned her. 1t is
ell known that after the "Merrimac" ran into and |
smoshed the Cumberland her purpose was to do
same for the Congress- but she slipped her cables
Id squared away with all available sail for Old Point but
avng her decks raked fore and aft by the fire Of the
lie Merrfae, and being several times hulled by shot
I'd shell from the Rebel feet no resource was left but to
each her The "NIerrinac" was terrible adversary
I'd wooden walls stood possible chance of resistance
ainst her formidable battery and steel clad The
cuse given by General Wool for opening the guns of
fort upon her that no was fearful Il would draw
" fire upon the fort thereby endapgerng the lives Of
e officers wives who were there dy-ng that eventful
mbat.
What use the remains Of the old figats will be put to
mains with the Government. We suggest that she be
built first-class iron Clad seagong frgate with
r old name, kind of demonstrative assurances of
advantages Of science and enterprise of our wreckers
er revolution and the elements.
a-------------~ ~O~--r- II
MILITARY CouRT-Albert Williams (colored) charged
III embezzing . note from Ann Berry, (coored)-
ltenced to refund the amount and costs II
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