New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-05-07
PRICE THREE CENTS.
LA CHAMPAGNE IN THE MUD.
THE BIG FRENCH STEAMSHIP ASHORE
IN THE NARROws.

SHE TOOK THE GROUND NEAR FORT LAFAYs
ErrE YESTERDAY MORNING IN DENSE
FoG-HER PASSENGERS AND MAILS TAKEN
oFF-NoT LIKELY TO FLOAT UNTIL
HER CARGO is LIGHTERED.
II was hard luck and dense fog which causes
the French steamer La Champagne to complete .
voyage OF 5000 miles by running hard and fase
aground in the Narrows yesterday morning. La
Champagne left Havre for this port on April ~
and had a pleasant voyage until she got into the
fog which hung about the entrance to the Bay
early yesterday. The fog lifted little as the
big steamer came in by the Sandy Hook light
ship. and the pilot board, James Kelley de-
cided to bring the vessel into port He care
fully proceeded through the channels, picking
I'D the buoys all right until he got of the lower
end of the West Bank. Then the fog thickened
and the pilot saw nothing else until he saw the
Government wharf at Fort Hamilton loom up
before him. and the steamer struck the bottom.
II was 7:4O o'clock when La Champagne crossed
the Bar and it was S15 when she struck the
beach
It was high water, and she went aground al
nretty good speed There was a considerable.
shock when the ship struck, bur there was no
manic among the passengers, for they all saw
a
that they were in the smooth waters Of the bay.
As soon as the long Government wharf appeared
through the fog the steamer was backed at fun
speed but ii was too late.
CUSTOMS AND HEALTH OFFICERS DO THEIR WORK
When the fog lifted, later in the day, tnes
Health Officer and the Custom House officials
visited the steamer and passed the passengers.
There were S29 passengers aboard. The cabin
IN
afternoon by a steamer sent down by the COM
many. The mails were also brought up to the
city.
Tugs and lighters were sent down, and 1t was
hoped to get the steamer eff on the evening tide.
This was not done however she was too hard
and fast ashore The work of taking out her
cargo was begun and soon as she is sufficiently
lghtened she will be pulled off. All the AFTER
noon crowds OF people were on the shore Dy
Fort Hamilton, watching with interest the mover
spectacle Of big ocean liner STRANDED III tno
Narrows fotilla of sm-ll craft OF every kino
surrounded the steamer.
Probably the Champagne never before exciteo
so much popular interest in coming into por.,
The place where the Champagne lies Is about 100
wards from the shore, between Fort Lafayette
and the long Government pier. The bottom Is
mud. sprinkled with powders II Is nos tnoush'
that the ship has received any serious damage.
The Champagne Is commanded by Captain
Laurent.
THE PILOTS STORY OF THE ACCIDENT
Pilot Keeley who was in charge Of the Cham
pagne when she went aground is from pilot-boat
| No l5 He said yesterday that he boarded La
| Champagne about fifteen miles outside the hgnt
| ship. 1t was foggy at the time. He made all :
| the buoys up to the tail OF the bank on SWIM,
| burne Islard, the course being north by east -
east He expected to see the next buoy at
Craven's Shoai east Of Hoffman Island, at which
| point the course changes to north-northeast The
| buoy was not seen but when he believed he had
! got to the north Of the Shoal, he ordered that
course. expecting next to hear the bell on Forr
| Lafayette
! The bell at Norton's Point, Coney Island. was
| heard but no other was heard and his next in
timation Of his position came when the end OF the
| Government Dock at Fort Hamilton appeared
At the time the steamer struck Captain Lau-
| rent Chief officer Jagueneau, Second Oincer
Davre and third oftcer Kotte were on the pfluSe
with the pilot
| ANCHOR CHAIN BROKEN BY THE STRAIN.
As soon as the officers saw that they were
going ashore the signal to reverse the engines at
full speed was given and one Of the anchors let
go with the hope of stopping her headway. Her
momentum was so great, however, that the
| chain cable OF the anchor broken, and be-
fore the effect of the reversed engines could be
! felt the mischief had been done. At low TIDE
| Yesterday the propeller blades OF the big steamer
were partially out OF water, so ldr 10 oie eP ",
| the beach. The officers of the ship and the
| officers Of the company do not think there Is
| anv doubt but that the steamer will come on
| with this mornings tide. All last night the
! lights shown brightly on the steamer. ana the
noise Of the stevedores transferring the cargo to
| lighters came over the waters.
! The steerage passengers will be taken on this
! morning About . o'clock an attempt VIII be
| made to pull the big steamer into deep water.
| The Champagne is four-masted screw steamer
| Of 69S5 tons gross register. and was built at
| St NaZaire France in 1886.
| HER cARrN PASSENGER LIST.