The Portland daily press., 1891-03-16
MORE DEFINITE IMPORTATION.
A Heavy Fog obscured the Lights
Commander EiIjs's story.

GAY HEAD, Mass, March 15.-The u. S.
s. Galena lies high up ON the beach, broad
side on. She is full of water and the hull is
badly hogged. The mainmast head is sprung
and the jib and staysail are flying. The rig
ging is covered with Ice. which extends to
the mastheads. The sea broke ever the ship
constantly from . 1918 Friday night
until midnight last night, when the heavy
west-southwest wind changed to northwest,
moderating somewhat and making the sea
comparatively smooth where the wrecked
vessels lie. The steam tug Nina lies head on
so high up on the beach that persons can
walk aboard of her at low water. She lies
perfectly quiet, the only water In her being
little In the drer0om aft. The Galena's
starboard beats were washed from the dav-
Its and thrown upon the beach. where they
were broken In pieces and burned by the
sailors In their efforts to keep warm. The
officers and crew were distributed among the
few dwelling houses at Gay Head, all of
which were filed to their utmost capacity,
ana tae On only enurcn In the place was appro-
The II United States seamen forcing them
selves so suddenly upon the Gay Head Indi-
ans makes 1t necessary to scour the locality
for provisions. The shipwrecked men were
rescued with difficulty on account Of the ter
ribly rough sea.
Lieutenant Commander George A. Bck-
nell, Of the Galena, states that at D. m. on
the 18th inst. off Easton's Neck. the vessel
Ssn log wh heavy ss wind
ed so that the Block Island lighthouse could
be distinguished, and we were enabled to get
our bearings and shape the vessels course
for Vineyard Sound ligbtship aud Gay Head,
which course was given to the tug Nina,
east by south. Soon after, the fog shut down
as dense as before. We saw just red gIm-
mer Of the Gay Head light off the starboard
bow about thirty minutes before the vessel
struck. We supposed IT to be about ten
miles distant. We neither saw nor heard
anything Of the Vineyard Sound lightship.
When we supposed the ship to be between
Vineyard Sound lighship and Gay Head. the
tug was stopped by signal, and another
course given from the Galena, northeast,
three quarters north, to take the tow out by
Gay Head into Vineyard Sound Before the
tow line could be Strengthened out the vessel
struck the beach. l was on deck when the
Breakers were reported Immediately before
the ship struck, but because of the strong
southerly current and the violent south
southwest wind which was blowing the ship
could not be turned quickly enough to avoid
disa ster. A line was foated ashore from the
Galena by means of large box, and by
means Of this line the whole crew got ashore
with the assistance of the Massachusetts,
Humane Society's crew and the Gay Head
| residents.
Captain T. M. Smith, of the tug Nina,
states that he received his orders and courses
from the commander lin charge of the Gale
ma, and acted accordingly.
| Commander Bicknell has arranged with
the Boston Tow Boat Company's wrecking
| agent at Vineyard Haven to save everything
possible from the wreck. The steam tug
Mercury and the steam lighter Oak, with
divers, steam pumps, etc., arrived at Gay
Head TINS afternoon for that purpose. 1t Is
tnougnt the steam tug Nina will be saved.
everything OF value will be taken from the
dalena. The prospects Of floating her are
considered poor. She has considerable am
munltlon ON board, designed for the U. s. s.
Lancaster, now fitting out at Portsmouth.
many seafaring men. well acquainted with
tne locality and tides between Gay Head and
vineyard Sound lightship, attribute the dis
astSr 70 tne strong southerly current which,
at tne time the ships were In that vicinity.
must nave set them from their proper course
Inc tug Nina Is not Of sufficient power to
Tow neavy ship on straight course against
the current. The two vessels now lie about
Iour miles out OF their proper course.
The Galena Is wooden ship, Of 910 tons.
She was built in 1878 at Norfolk. Va, by the
United States, and was being towed to the
Portsmouth navy yard to undergo repairs
preparatory to going into commission. She
nad three new boilers on deck, which were
The steam tug Nina is of iron, is 3O6 tons,
ana was built at Chester, Pa. In 1865, by
Reaney, Son q Archibald.