The daily gazette., 1883-02-05
A SCENE OFF CONFUSION.
How the Cargo Of the steamer Alpine
was Allowed to Go to Waste.
ranndav Etnr

How the cargo oil the StehAnor Alptne
was Allowed to Go to Waste.
lsunday star.l
GEORGETOWN, Feb. 3.-1hree wrecking
companies were represented at Green Run,
where the foreign built steamer Alpine of
the Atlas llne-New York and Rio Janeiro
trade-grounhed day or two ago. They
were the Baker of Norfolk, Merritt of Phila-
delphia, and Register Il Burton's of Lewes,
Register says the wanton waste OF the
Alpine's cargo surpassed any thing ever
seen. Four thousand sacks of prime coffee,
150 pounds each were tossed overheard;
fine South American hides could be seen
floating on the water as far as the eye could
reach; and savage, drunken captain paced
the decks, cursing everybody and every
thing under the sun, with every
breath he drew. A representative of the
Cramps, with drawn revolver, was following
In the captains wake, apparently, uphold
ing the brute's anthority,in hopes of getting
a lob of repairing-though the craft turned
out to be but slightly injured. perfect
pandemonium, of the widest description
was being enacted on the steamer; choice
wines, rum and brandy were flowing freely
as the sea itself-the finest brands OF
cigars and luscious tropical fruits
gave zest to this marine circus;
every mothers son of 'em trying to
| out outdo his cousin In the wilfu1l waste.
An agent of the North American Insurance
| COMPANY was present, but was powerless TO
| act, as the captain swore, by all that was
unholy, that he was going to boss his own
business. And your drunken Welshman Is
| n cross between a tiger and mule. Register
| saws he never had before and may never
/ again have such chance to make big sal
wage. He could easily have netted $4,000,
| and saved the Atlas thousands of dollars,
| which now they will lose, as no insura nee
| will be paid the insurers, once before, hay
ing been swindled In the same manner by
this Identical line. The excitement ran so
high, that some ofthe Chincoteague islanders
gravely suggested the killing of the captain,
as they would have done rabid dog. The
fellow, though blazing drunk, had sense
enough to remain ON board. The climax
was reached, though, when the drunken
fellow, axe In hand, severed the hawsers
| connecting the steamer with the tugs North
America and George w. Pride, of Philadel-
phia. as they endeavored to pull the Alpine
into deep water. She went back In jiffy.
coming within an ace of being totally
wrecked. The Pride, in the meantime,
, swung arour and became hopelessly en-.
tangled In the severed hawsers, which had
also fouled the Americas wheel, putting
both In jeopardy. The tug-boat captains
then got mad and swore that IL the man In
terfered again they'd tie him. The destrue
tion of the hawsers alone will cost the Atlas
people 81 500. The Norfolk men finally
left in disgust, loaded to the waters edgt
. with moist coffee. The tugs get $1,000
: each. The wreckers could have saved every
grain of coffee and all the hides, and thu
Z Atlas would have been $40, 900 the richer
2 A fine lot OF them were shipped over the
q 81 B. north yesterday Some one, evidently
is not very much out of pocket by the disas
ter. Two or three passengers were aboard
including young Spanish lady, who qui
the craft at Green Run, and went to New
York by rail, heartily glad to get GU
of such uneayory company. This mode
captain was probably drunk when tn
steamer grounded; although he said h
lost his reckoning In the dense fog then pre-
yailing. The Alpine, Mr.. Register says, Is
, handsome steel vessel of 500 tons hurthen
modelled after the style of the BreakwateI
- though much larger, the latter's carryin
capacity being 900 tons. The bark, Wyom
ing ashore at the same point and same TINT
got off with less trouble; and her capital
wasn't drunk, either, though the $50 90
!. cargo of South American woods, iignun
vitse principally, proved total loss. Th
r. Wyoming was 25 miles out of her reckoning
Of owing to the fog.