Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-29
LIGHT ON The OREGON DIsAs-
TER.
The Schooner Morse. OF Baltimore, Prob
ably Caused the Loss OF the steamer.


The Schooner Morse. OF Baltimo ore, Prob
ably Caused the Loss OF the steamer.
From fhe Baltimore Sun.
A dispatch yesterday from Bath, Me-,
indicated that the schooner Charles II.
Morse, from Baltimore, ran into tha
steamer Oregon on March IA. All the
circumstances that can be gathered at
TINS end seems to point very strongly 10
its being the Morse. f. J.. Freeman &
Co., VINO are the Baltimore agents Of that
vessel, say she sailed from Baltimore
REQ. 10 With 100 tons of coal, shipped by
the Consolidated Company, for Boston.
Their last advlces from her was March 3,
IN Hampton roads, where she, with
large fleet, had gone for harbor.
Capt. Trip, II the schooner Charles A.
White, who arrived yesterday from Prov
idence, says be left Hampton Roads
Thursday, March IL, in company with the
Morse, but once at sea he lost 81 ght OF her.
On the following Sunday morning, at the
very time the Oregon was reported 10
have been struck, Capt. Trip says he
was just about twenty miles to the east
ward OF the position she gave when the
collision took place. Reckoning that the
Morse was following close on the heels of
the White it would not be altogether
guesswork to say that the Morse was the
unlucky vessel, and that all hands were
lost with her. This assumption is strength
ened by the non-arrival of the Morse at
Boston, while the White has been to
Providence, discharged, and back again
to this port.
The schooner Charles q. Morse belonged
to b. W. and II. F. Morse, of Bath. Her
master was Alfred K. Manson, Jr., son OF
Capt. A. z. Manson, of the schooner
Charles f. Balch. He was unmarried.
Previous 10 his taking command Of the
Morse his brother, Silas Manson, was her
master, but died while connected with the
vessel.
ARRANGEMENTS MAKING FOR DIVERS.
From, the Ne,O York World.
Interest in the question OF liability of
the Cunard Steamship Company for The
loss sustained by passengers on the Ore
g0n has received a fresh I'M etus from the
preparations making to test the matter
In the courts. Lawyer Garrett, mention
OF whose plans for getting at the facts in
the case were made in yesterdays Wnrld,
said: 1--WE are going right along with
our work. A man started at II 80 this
morning for the scene of the wreck to
make test survey, locate the proper
bearings and position of the wreck and
see If it will be necessary to get
out an injunction to restrain others
from interfering with the work. When
he makes his report we shall know better
what to do. in few days the divers will
go down. A boat is being fitted out now
for the purpose. II will probably require
about two weeks after all is ready to COM
plete the work. l have secured another
important witness, Abraham Downing, of
No. ii West street. He was a steerage
passenger on the Oregon, and lost his
chest, containing six suits OF clothes
and $50 In money. He was smoking on
deck at the time OF the accident. and is
ready to swear that it was clear enough
to see for some distance in every direc-
ton. He says the ship was struck for
ward OF the cOok-house, which comedies
with the story OF my sailor witness. He
saw no vessel whatever near by. We are
compelled TO go to England with the
case because the Cunard is a foreign
company, not amenable TO our laws. IN
der English laws we shall have to prove
neglect. This is established by the fact
that the hinges of the bunker doors were
rusted and the doors OPEN"
The Wrecking vessels which have been
in narbOr under the lee OF Fire Island for
several days past started for the wreck
yesterday morning.
''PeOpe don't understand the Difficult
ties In the way Of reaching the wreck"
said Capt. Merritt, of the Wrecking COM
pany, ,esterday. "Think of it. There
are 20 fathOms of water over her, and
man TO reach the bottom through that
much water must coax himself to 90
down little by little. Say, il every thing
was favorable, that he reached the hurri-
cane deck, he would accustOm himself to
the great pressure of water at that depth.
Then in day or two he would 20 down to
the main deck, and 80 on. If a man
jumped right over and went down 100 feet
at once he would Immediately lose his
senses on account of the rush of blood 10
bis head. We will be fortunate if we get
one good day in a week to work. We
have saved large number Of vessels, but
none from such depth of water in such
an exposed place as that in which the
Oregon lies.''