Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1868-07-30
6enrral Sntrlliasnte.
WRECK OF THE MORNING STAR.
search for the LOst-Divers and SUBJ
Marine Engineering.
From the Cleveland Plaindealt

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, and 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 Tor
bereayed friends, and some regard for the
honor of humanity, induced o 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 Levi johnson, Capt
Blanchard. to 90 in search OF the
lost as long as there was hope Of success.
70 these warm-hearted citizens we are in
debted for upholding the city's character
for humanity and kindness towards the
victims of 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 Erie, and has crulsed
around the scene of the disaster for the
past fourteen days. She carries three iron
rakes constructed for the purpose Of pick
ing up the bodies. These rakes are each
about 12 feet long, with 80 curved teeth
about q foot in length, and hundreds OF
large fsh-hooks attached to short lines.
Two spars are outraged on each side OF
the tug. to which two yawls are fastened.
From these boats and from the stern Of the
TUG draps are paid out, and as the little
craft sweeps over the field Of exploration
a 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, Mr.
Patehen, OF Buffalo, Mr. Garrett. Of De-
troit, who are in search Of lost relatives
Capt. Warner and Capt. Warner, OF this
city, whose generous hearts havepronpted
their voluntary efforts in the search They
have engaged in the enterprise from the
beginning, and have worked as hard as
any men could have done for any cause.
Rations for the day were provided, and the
tug, starting at 6 A. NJ, reached the wreck
at $50 The distance is twenty-eight
miles
THE SCENE OF THE coLLIsIoN.
The Morning Star lies in 12 fathoms Of
water: her bow to the northeast Three
buovs placed over her bow, stern and walk
inp.beam, alone indicate where she lies
The steamer Relief and the schooner
Watchful, of the Boston Wrecking Com
pany," are anchored alongside. About
three-ouarters Of mile southwest OF the
steamer is the wreck Of the Cortland, two
Of her spars plainly to be seen above the
water. The schooner Mountain Maid Is
anchored by her side Divers from the
vessels engaged in wrecking and raising
the sunken hulls, report the bottom OF the
lake here to be very soft mud, into which
they sink as into newly-tallen snow ms
makes the recovery OF the lost most dlnl-
cult and uncertain =,
A heavy sea was on, and the holding Of
the lines to which the drags 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, children's straw hats, and some pas
seneer tickets were fished up, 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 tel-tale from
the engine room, and S460 In cash are
among the valuables recovered by this
means.
Twelve bodies have already been reco7-
cred by the efforts of those in charge OF
the tug Levi johnson, and six have been
found BY other means, The searches will
be prosecuted until all hopes Of successare
gone. Owing to 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 at all prob
able that many of the lost will have any
other grave than the depths where they
now rest.
THE DIVERS AND SUBMARINE ENGINEERING
While the tug was engaged in compelling |
the great deep to give up its dead our re-
porter went on board the steamer Relief, |
which, with its tender, the schooner Watch
ful, is owned and employed by the Boston
Wrecking company, in getting oil 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. 1t employs |
several wrecking steamers, and large
amount of material and apparatus adapted
TO its purposes.
The steamer Relief is screw steamer Of
267 tons, about $50 feet in length, with a
powerful engine with oscillating cylinder.
she also carries windlass on deck, oper-
ated bya separate engine, and three OF
Fuller's improved submarine air engines,
two of which we're on Wednesday pumping |
air down to the divers engaged on the
wreck; the third, 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 a
wrecker She is under the charge Of
Capt. John G. Curtiss, Of Boston, we'll
known as builder Of ships and iron-clads
for the Government, second mate and
eighteen men, six Of whom are experienced
divers. rI
The Morning Star lost all of her Cabins
when she went down, except 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-
rine engineer first calculates the dead |
WolRuI W w fdI5eu. 1ut WOOu-"OlA Va VAS
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,
filed with air, will be required AS she
lies in 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 out an air chamber in the
mud, and relieving the suction occssioned
oy Il.
The taking of Of the freight and plac-
ing the casks at the hull of the steamer, 70
6eet below the surface, can only be accom-
plished by means Of divers. lfa /,
,t M THE DIVERS nf ~ -u L,
are an interesting study. Inventions in {
armor and submarine air-engines 1
asve made the risk to life less than former