Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1884-11-02
WORKING A WRECK.
The Interesting Process of Blowing
Sunken Steamer to Pieces.
Breaking Up the Hull of the ILL
Fated CoIumbus-A Fortune
In Old Junk-Nitro-
GtyccriEc.

INartha's Vineyard Cor Philadelphia Times
Standing among the huge boulders which
lie s;rewn along the beach under the varie-
gated clay-clifrs Of Gay Head and looking
cat upoa the heaving and signing pillows
which swell up from the Atlantic, four bnoys
NAV be seen tossing upon the eveT-moving
surface of the waters less than nail dis
tant An ,ncouth-looking cT7ft lies NJ
anchor and two or three small boats are rid
ing the waves near by. On the horo against
the foot of the cliffs rude mass covered
with a tarpaulin, attracts attention. \
rough board bearing the legeai; Nitro
glycerinel Explosive, Danger tells the
tale Of the work going on ia The water The
bI1ys marx the SPOT whore the steamer City
of Columbus on tina, cold january night
went urging upon the reef Of tn Devils
bridge and sent TIC human beings to n grave
beneath the water. Til, numbering craft,
with it. derrick and lacking. is Tie lighter
from when The divers ply thoir hs.rioUs
worl, upon tho wreck in the depths of the
waters beneath. Before tlo wi1tTy blasts
again beat upon this isolate. ana sci airy
pron9ntory nethin. VIII b. le.t 90 ton the
tale Of that dreadful isa Ser.
Falling Into conyegsatin with a heather
beaten and battered oil salt who Ind MT
pallei up On the shore. the storyo the wreck
s.nca il first crashed upon tho reef was soon
told After all hope OF nescuins At least one
Of tn, Nc human beings on board unac-
counted fer had been abandoned, The vessel.
which had lodged in the apex OF The raet
which forms an inverted Y. the base abuttin !,
on GAY Head. was lefi 20 the ptij-,s waves,
which caIro rearing in from Tie ocean 10.
i1ln ! les had withto'i ilIe pounding ~ TIE
breakers. The c1pidiiN ~ fearlsss mon D., y
came 20 account Fer the small sum of s; c
The vessel which had cost IA usardS TO luild
wa, laT.crel oT To 4 eonpany " WE 'serS,
who ARE ROW nj work blowing the hulk 10
pieces ami bringing the material . the
surface. tohe sold for Strap to the rolling
NJ It's or to stock the junk .hoa
"lNc eKfeci to clear sioeoo out % our har.
gain" said the amphhious salt. Judging
from the immense torn ami raggp-i sheets Of
iron which ONCE formed t1e si..es OF the Co
uiubns and are now stIuwn about one # the
wtarvcS Of Nineverl haven On tdis Island &c
be shipped away a some convenient opror-
unity. tho en1erpri>ing adventures VIII not
- Disappointed.
The Cd salt explained that TIE piping and
copper ana MSS had already been taken VI
AMI SHIPPED 10 Boston. and The sides Il tbs
vessel had been recovered, leaving nothing
but the lotion end the boii,ss and eligiBes
T. BE- lifted. TIE process OF shattering The
COMPACT structure of the vessel Is an eul-
yistic Illustration Of the force Of modern ex-
plosives The diver in his aruaor takes with
him TO the wreck below a 7sookine
board. TO which are fastened Two alpar-
entity equally ha-mhs cylindrical packages,
about eight inches long AMI one AMI q half
inches in Diameter. This board IS placed IL
such portion Of tie wreck Is ), j. desired Il
brpak away Returning 70 the surface 6
simple electric wire may be seen leading into
tha waves
when all is resiy dGli sound and splash
OF waters are heard AMI in an instant the v'o-s;
Is jlne Examination reveals 4 detached
mass and the clankins al caSS aad rachets, the
crsas.ing ~ f;.e C,srliei, aad the DESPERATE
putting II tie released energy Of steam soon
bring 70 the surface what might at FIRST &c
taken for some Shiny monster Of the deep,
bar proves to he an immense slsect q riye;esi
plates ~ iron. This i deposited On the
Iiga;eT's deck anI the operation il repeated
until u cargo has been rais.i. and then away
ths craft sseams 70 the nearest har5or, nearly
txentY Iniles away.