The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1868-07-23
General Sntrlliorutr.
wRTCK OF THE MORNING STAR.
Search for n Lost-Dtvors and sub
Marine Engineering.

tFrcm the Cleveland Plaindcalcrl
Our special reporter spent Wednesday at
the scene Of the late collision between the
steamer Morning Star and the bark Cort-
land. The number of passengers lost was
in this instance extraordinary, n an in
tense interest has been manifested in the
fate Of many Of them by large circles Of
relations, and even whole communities in
this vicinity and elsewhere. sympathy for
boreaved friends, and some regard for tho
honor of humanity, induced a number Of
citizens Of Cleveland to supply the means
Of recovering the property and persons Of
lost passengers. These private citizens
chartered the steam tug LeviJohnson. Capt
Blanchard. to 90 in search of the
lost as long as there was hope OF success.
To those w0rm-hearted citizens VIC are in
dcbtcd for upholding the city's character
tor humutt and kindness towards the
victims Of a great calamity. The tug has
been placed at the disposal Of the friends
Of the dead. She is equipped with most
efficient apparatus for thoroughly dragging
the bottom Of Lake Enc, and has cruised
around the scene OF the disaster Tor the
pnst fourteen days. She carries three iron
rakes constructed for the purpose of pick
ing up the bodies. These rakes are each
about II feet long, with 80 curved teeth
about q foot in length. and hundreds Of
large fsh-hooks attached &C. short lines.
Two spaIs are outraged on each side Of
the tug, 20 which two yawls arc fastened
From these boats and from the stern Of the
tug drags are paid out, and as the little
craft sweeps over the field of exploration
q searching examination is made Of q space
Of so feet in width. On Wednesday the
tug carried, besides Captain Blanchard and
his ordinary crew, Capt Hackett, IN
Petchen, Of Buffalo, M. Garrett. Of De-
.roit, who are in search Of lost relatives,
Capt. Warner and Capt. Warner. Of this
city, whose generous hearts havepromptcd
their voluntary efforts in the search. They
have engaged in the enterprise from the
beginning. and have worked rs hard Us
n men could have done for any cause.
RGtions for the day were provided, and the
tug, starting at @ A.. 81, reached the wreck
at $50. The distance il twCnty-eight
miles.
rHE SCENE OF THE COLLISION.
The Morning star lies in u futhoms Of
water; her bow to the northeast. Three
buoys placed over her bow, stern and walk
ing-beam, alone indicate where she lies.
The steamer Relief and the schooner
Watchiul, Of the Boston Wrecking Com
pany,' are anchored alongside. About
t~hree-quarters Of a milo southwest Of the
steamer is the wreck Of the Cortland. W
Of her spars plainly 10 be seen above the
water. The schooner Mountain Maid is
anchored by her side. Divers from the
vessels engaged IN wrecking n ruising
the sunkeu hulls, report the bottom OF the
lake here 20 be a very soft mud, into which
they sink as into uewly-tullen snow. This
makes the recovery OF the lost most dith-
cult and uncertain.
A heavy sea was on, and the holding Of
the lines 10 which the dregs are attached
WAS very hard work. Yet the work went
on from nine o'clock till nearly three in the
afternoon. Blankets, small articles Of
dress, childreu's straw hats, and some pas
senger tickets were ishcdup, but no bodies
rewarded the efforts OF these faithful men,
or cheered the sinking hopes Of anxious
friends. Twenty-Five mattresses, bolts Of
canvas, the bell, gong, and t~ell-tale from
the engine room, and S4GO in cash are
among the valuablcs recovered by this
means.
Twelve bodies have already been recov-
cred by the efforts Of those in charge Of
the tug Levi johnson, and six have been
found by other means. The searches will
DO prosecuted until all hopes Of successare
gone. Owing 10 the great depth, the water
IS as cold as ice, and not disturbed by any
wind. Decomposition or change Of posi-
ton must be slow, and It is not ut all prob
able that many of the lost will have any
other grave than the depths whore they
% rest
THE pryER M SUBMARINE ENGINEERING.
While the tug was engaged in compelling
the great deep 70 give up its dead, our re-
porter went on board the steamer Relief,
which, with its tender, the schooner Watch
full, is owned and employed by the Boston
Wrecking company, in getting OH the
freight and raising the hull of the sunken
steamer. This company has extensive
operations on the Atlantic ocean, New Eng
land coasts, and northern lakes. Il employs
several wrecking steamers, and a large
amount Of material and apparatus adapted
TO it's purposes.
The steamer Reiief 10 q screw steamer Of
1857 tons, about $50 feet in length, with a
powerful engine with oscillating cylinder.
she also carries a windlass on deck, oper-
eted by a separate engine, and three Of
Fuller's improved submarine air engines,
two Of which we're on Wednesday pumping
air down 10 the divers engaged on the
wreck; the third, a large one, being used
TO initiate with air casks used in raising
sunken vessels. This will initiate at the
rate Of one thousand gallons in eight min
utes. The steamer also carries cables,
chains, and all the paraphernalia Of q
wrecker. She is under the charge of
Capt, John G. Curtiss, Of Boston, we'll
known as q builder Of ships and iron-clads
for the Government, q second mate and
eighteen men, six Of whom are experienced
divers.
The Morning Star lost all Of her Cabins
when she went down, except a small por-
ton near the walking-beam, Her guards
are perfect, and her main deck was covered
with freight forward Of the engine.
The Relief and her crew have now been
engaged about ten days in the work Of saw
ing the freight and preparing to raise the
steamers hull and engines. The subma-
hin engineer first calculates the dead
weight TO be raised. The woodwork Of the
hull is not taken into this calculation on
account Of its own buoyancy. After being
relieved Of her freight, her coal and en-
gines will weigh about 200 tons. To raise
this weight, $50 casks of 400 gallons each,
filled with air, will be required. As she
lies in a soft bed of mud in six fathoms Of
water, there is an additional obstacle TO be
overcome. But submarine engineers have
experience even in such cases. This is
done by boring through the bottom Of the
hull and blowing ont an air chamber in the
mud, and relieving the suction occosioned
The taking Of Of he freight and plac-
ing the casks at the hull Of the steamer, 70
feet below the surface, can only be accom-.
plished by means Of divers.
THE DIVERS
are an interesting study. Inventions in
"