The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-02-14
SALVAGE on THE LEBu.
Value OF the Propeller Towboat
COmpanyss Services.

NPHhtths > SERVICES
Judge Emory speer. after hearing the
arguments yesterday in the case Of the
Propeller Towboat Company against the
British bark Lebu. libel for salvage.
awarded the plainum 500 for the ser
vices Of its tugs and Their crews in pulling
the Lebu OF CASTOR bank on Dec. !.
The Propeller Towboat Company claim
ed $4,000 for the serves OF its two tugs
the Jacob Paulsen. Capt. VIM. II. Roger
son. and the Cynthia No. 2. Capt. Martin
Fredericks. and their crews.
The Lebu, Capt. ]. Toruburn. as will be
remembered, was seen aground in the
breakers on CASTOR bank of Hilton Head
on Nov. 80 1884. and that Light the two
tugs went down to offer assistance. The
next morning the bark was pulled OF the
bank and brought up the river.
The plaintiff claimed the service rem
dered was an extremely hazardous one,
that the vessel was thump.ng on the boz
tom IN eight feet Of water al low tide, that
she had sprung a leak and the water was
damaging her cargo, that the crew was
in perIliOus position and had taken to
small boats for tear the uIasts would fall
These allegations were generally denied
by the defendants. the National Board Of
surance Corporation, in which the vessel
and her cargo were insured and ii was con-
tended by Col. George 4. Mercer that the
service rendered was the lowest Oroer Of
salvage to which no extraordinary hazard
or risk was attached.
The plaintiffs set up that the value of the
property rslIed was S55O0 besides the
lives of the crews of the two tugs. They
also held that the value of the bark was
$1,000 and the cargo $4,000. on which
1880 freight was to be pad. The defen-
dants stated that all Of these amounts
were too large and said the bark was no
worth more than $1,000 The cargo con
sisted of LOO tons Of nitrate OF soda from
Iquique. Chill, for this. port, and 1t wa
stated by the defendants that AZ tons haC
been thrown overheard by the crew, and
that after putting over little more the
vessel would have been able to get Off the
bank without any assistance
The case was argued by MT 7. =.
RaVenel and Mr.. A. Minis for the Propeller
Towboat Company, ana, by Col Georgt
A. Mercer for the underwriters who ella m
ed the vessel. they being the defendants in
the case There was no doubt about the
case being one of salvage. and the only
question was as to what hazard had beer
attached to the rescue. and what wou d be
a reasonable amount for the serv ices rem.
dered. The plaintiff claimed that tht
bark and its cargo had been saved from
total loss. while the defendants claimed
such was not the case. but that the bark
would have gotten of without assistanc,
after a little more of the cargo had been
thrown overheard,
Judge Speer seemed to take the defen-
dant's view of the case in awardnl
5000 to the Propeller Towboat Company
The claim was for something like S20.0OJ
The defendants at one time offered to
compromise the case by paying 5000 bul
this was refused outright by the plaintitf.
who stated that no offer Of less than $l5.0c
would be accepted. This amount Of course
was refused.
In making the award Judge Speer de-
cided TO allow the company TO decide to
what Its men on the two tugs are entitled
for their services, and if they are dissat-
isfied they can go into court and have the
Judge settle the matter.
At the conclusion of this case the lnjunc.
ton suit of Claudius p. Pcase OF Somers.
Conn, against ID. S. Sinclair and others
was taken up. The application is for per
manent injunction 10 restrain the defen-
dants from cutting timber or taking naval
stores from a tract of land of about 7.OOC
acres in Mcintosh county to which Peas,
claims title. The proceedings in the cas-,
will be continued this morning. The pla n
tiff Is represented by Messrs W w
Fraser, p. w Meldrim. j. G. and d. II
Clark, and the defendants by Messrs
Erwin, duBignon & Chisholm.