The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-30
THE UyDINE LAID At REST.
The Wrecked Austrian Bark Put Away
for Good.

sev. Yesterday practically finished the
work Of removing the bark Undine from
the channel near Long Island, where it
cansized and sunk on February 20, last,
while being towed from the quarantine
station 10 the city.
The remains Of what was, only little
more than six months ago, handsome
bark, are now lying in Back river near
the end of the Fig island training wall
On Saturday night Mr.. Johnston had the
Undine lowed to the point indicated by
Can't Carter, and there scuttled her, 1t
being found impracticable TO deliver her
at any wharf in the city for the purpose
of selling her at auction, on account Of
there being at least fifteen feet Of solid
mud in the hold.
The contract between Capt 0. NJ. Car
ter and Messrs. Johnston & Townsend
stipulated that all parts of the wreck re
moved including the cargo and other
property which might prove Of any value,
were to be delivered at some convenient
point on the shore. If of no value they
were TO be placed at a point, designated
by Capt Carter. where they would form
no obstruction to navigation. The con-
tractor was al liberty. if he felt so dis
posed, to blow the hull to pieces by ex-
plosives and remove the wreckage to the
marshes by the aid Of lighters.
THE FIRST JOB LET.
April II a contract for raising the Tn
dine was awarded by the Austrian consul
to Cooley & Brown for $1,000 After
working ten or twelve days on the job and
spending 81 900 those gentlemen gave up
the task as being an impossible one
April % the vessel was sold at auction
and was purchased by Mr.. F. NJ. Jones'
who announced his intention Of raising
her He made strong efforts to do this
by battering down the matches and stop
ping up all the openings he could reach,
but when he attempted to raise the yes
sci, after pumping out some of the water,
he found the Job hopeless one and be
You'd the capacity of his plant.
When Mr.. Jones abandoned the work
Capt Carter invited proposals for remov-
ing the hull from the river, as it was
dangerous obstruction to navigation.
When the bids were opened on June II
Messrs Johnston 4 Townsend were
found to be the lowest bidders, and the
contract was awarded to them for 80 CAS-.
They competed against the Merritt
Wrecking Company and the Chapman
Derrick and WreCking Company, two of
the most powerful wrecking Organiza-
tions on the coast, and several others.
Messrs jacobson & Morris, local firm,
bid s., 500
Mr. Johnston announced his intention
of removing the Undine from the channel
intact. but in view of the failure of the
two previous contractors to do this, it
was freely predicted that he would not
succeed. and his undertaking was care
fully watched by steamboat and river
men.
THE WORK COMMENCED.
Actual work was begun on July 31st,
and careful examination made by a
diver that day showed that matches, 3
companion ways, 3 hollow iron masts, 3
dead lights, ? ventilators, , skylights, 2
stove-pipe holes, 2 hawser pipe holes and
many other smaller openings had to be
made water tight before the work OF
pumping out the water could begin. This
was task Of no mean difficulty but
through the care and skill exercised by
Diver Ross, whose work was performed
entirely under water, was successfully
accomplished. The openings were COW
cred over with tarpaulins and timber,
securely fastened by spikes. On
account of the frequent SQUALLS and heavy
northeast winds encountered the work Of
the dive was much retarded, but on
August II was so much advanced that
pumping by the tugboats Cambria and
Forest City began. After the pumping
had proceeded for some time and no ap-
preciable gain being made, an examina-
tion was made by the diver, who dis
covered new hole, about feet by feet
in dimensions, through which the water
poured as fast as it was drawn out
through the ten-inch pump. This hole
was closed and the pumping was resum-
ed, and on August the 18th the contrac-
or and the steamboat men had the proud
satisfaction OF having their arduous and
intelligent labor rewarded. One of the
men of Capt. Johnston's party as the un-
drive slowly moved from her muddy bed
where she lay imbedded for nearly six
months, like Silas Wegg, dropped into
poetry and shouted.
She starts, she moves, she seem to feel
The thrill OF life along her keel
TOwED OUT OF THE CHANNEL.
The Undine was then towed out of the
channel, safe from contact with passing
vessels, but Capt Carter, not deeming the
spot selected TO be safe, and to put the
vessel in position where she could do no
harm in the future, designated a berth
behind the Fig island jetty for her to re-
main forever undisturbed and she was
towed there last Saturday night, scuttled
and sunk. So firmly is she imbedded at
that point that the hurricane of Sunday
night failed to dislodge her an inch: but
10 make assurance doubly sure. Capt
Carter has directed that piling be driven
all around her, thus making it impossible
for her to be driven away by the fiercest
of storms.
Mr.. Johnston has successfully removed
many wrecks from this harbor and vicin-
ity, but without doubt the raising Of the
Undlne was the most difficult task of this
kind ever undertaken by him in south
ern waters Taking into consideration
the fact that two unsuccessful attempts
10 raise her had been made by local firms
after an expenditure of several thousand
dollars, extending over a period of sew
eral weeks, and the further fact that muG
was daily entering the hull, adding to It's
weight and making the task Of raising il
more and more difficult as the DAYS wore
on, Mr.. Johuson's determination to rails,
the vessel intact and not TO break her III
By the use Of dynamite was considered
foolhardy and not feasible, but suisse
qUent events justified the faith he had il
his plan.
AN ARDUOCS UNDERTAKING.
To Mr.. Ross, the diver, and 10 Mr.. Pur
dee, the engineer of the Forest City
great credit is due for the determined anC
intelligent manner in which they per
formed the share of the work allotted I,
them, the latter sticking to the pumps
night and day until the Undme wa
Heated and finally placed in secure posi-
ton. Mr.. Johnston and incidentally th
Propeller TowbOat Company. cannot bl
too highly commended on the successful
accomplishment of this piece Of work ant