The morning call., 1893-10-28
A LURING SIREN.
Its Muffled Sound Was
Deceptive.
THE TIDE WAS STRONG.
It Swung the Great Steamer on
the Rocks.
WORKING AWAY ON THE WRECK.
Little Hope of Saving the Vessel,
Though Captain Whitelaw
Thinks Differently.
WORKING AWAY ON THE WRECK.

Little less than a miracle can save the
steamer City of New York. a continuance
of fair weather would possibly permit OF
Captain Whitelaw patching the vessel up
and pumping her sufficiently clear to get
her on the drydock. But misfortune
never comes singly and nautical men
predict blow and heavy sea before the
veteran wrecker'S plans can be consum-
mated.
The New Y York is practically in the same
position that she was at l O'Clock yester-
day morning So securely has the impal-
ing rock fastened itself in the steamer S
iron side that she has scarcely changed for
better or for worse the fraction al part OF a
fathom.
A heavier list to port is noticeable, and
at high tide yesterday three feet Of water
washed over her main deck on the star
board side amidships. Forward aDd ait
the water was not so deep.
Captain Whitelaw still has hopes of
raising the steamer if favorable breezes
blow, but he has no hesitation In saying
that all will be lost if a south or southwest
gale should suddenly spring up.
= Craft of all manner. description. size
and tonnage crawled up close to Point Be-
nIta from an early hour yesterday morn
lug until late IN the evening.
Schools of bOatmen drlfted near the
stranded ocean wanderer, waiting like
hungry sharks for some mOTsel of cargo
that might be thrown or dropped over
board. The dense fog Of the night before
had not been completely diSsipated by the
rays Of the sun, which shOne so warmly
over the city all day. Like dOgged, sui
len foe the fog-bank flung its banners of
mist-clOuds in the teeth of the sunshine
Nrh ri Ob Ia u
refused to allow Point Bonita to enjoy un-
dampened the full glory of the suns rays
The surf still rOared upon the rocks
above and below the lighthouse and fog
horn station ashore.
Like some great leviathan of the deep,
stranded and pOwerless and surrounded by
far less powerful but more animate marine
life, the wrecked steamer lay upon her
port side at even a greater angle than she
did at an early hour of the morning. Her
bow seemed slightly raised and her stern
more deeply sunken in the waves. Three
tugs we're alongside and a half q hundred
men worked like beavers about her decks.
Apparatus of all description bestrewed
her planklng. Pumps that were In posi-
tion and pumps that were ready TO be
placed at work at moments notice were
near at hand. Bags of -four were piled
near the main hatch, and through this lat
ter aperture derrick swung cargo and
wreeking machinery in and out of the hold.
Captain Whitelaw was there, energetic,
confident aud affabe as he always is.
Thoroughly convinced that he would save
the boat if the elements permitted, he
worked cheeringly, giving instructions to
his men and preparing them for prelim-
mary examination of the vessels pune
tured plates. An all absorbed and inter
ested colaboreT stood near by. II was
Captain Frank II. Johnston, who seemed
to be wrapped up in plans for getting his
ship out of the grinding teeth OF the rocks
and putting her once more in COM
mission.
The towboat men say that Captain