The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-27
At High Tide sunday She Was Moved
$50 Feet, and Then Refused to
De Budged Further.
THE FOG STORY is DOUBTED
EVIDENCE THAT CAMPANIA WAS
ALSO AGROUND FOR A TIME.
Eo Authentic Denial of the Racing
Story-Oficers Think the st. Paul
VIII he Free in a Few Days.

LONG BRANCH, ". j., Jan. 26.-Presi-
lent C. A. Griscom and all the other rep
'esentatives OF the International Navigation
Company. popularity known as the American
line, have taken decidedly more hopeful
view of the situation OF the stranded
steamer st. Paul. They place great reli-
ince on the Merritt & Chapman wreckng
companies who have charge Of the pulling
on of the big steamer. and they hope to
have the st. Paul at her berth at the foot
Of yesey street, New York, before the end
OF this week. The vessel is about
l5o feet further towards the northeast than
where she lay last night. owing to the
efforts of the wrecking tugs, which were
hard at work to relieve her about o'clock
this morning. and 1t is though. that she
will be further eased before daylight to-
morrow morning. The crowds of sight
seers which were in evidence yesterday
were more than doubled to-day. Ocean
avenue was simply jammed with a surging
mass OF humanity. Vehicles of all descrip-
lions were pressed into service and when
they were all jumbled together near the
End OF Ocean avenue East Long Branch,
they presented very amusing spectacle.
1t is safe to say that there is scarcely a
person who resides within twenty miles of
this place who has not come to see the big
ocean racer lying in her helpless state with
In n stones throw of the Grand View Hotel
veranda. When the trains arrived from
New York to-day they brought host Of
Gothamites who were anxious to see how
the big liner looked and the majority of
them wondered how on earth she could
possibly have reached the spot in which
she Is struck hard and fast. The weather
to-day was most enjoyable and the sea was
very calm The breakers were not nearly
DO heavy as on yesterday, and the surf
boats easily put out through them and
brought hundreds of passengers around the
ship. The report that the ship Foyle. of
London. bound from New York to Calcutta.
had sunk late last night and one of her
life boats coming ashore off West End this
morning added considerably to the interest
manifested by the visitors as to the safety
OF the st. Paul to-day. This morning about
o'clock when the tide was full, there
was a heroic attempt made to pull the
steamer out OF her difficulty by use of
"kedge' anchors aided by her own ma
chinery and the combined power of the
tugs l. j. Merritt, w. Z. Chapman, Hustler
and North American. The hawsers were
strained to their utmost and the huge bulk
shivered for fully half an hour under the
Immense force brought to bear on 1t. The
toilers were finally rewarded by seeing the
hawsers relax and rousing cheer
nounced to the anxious watchers who fitted
about the beach. in the darkness that the
steamer had been moved a little. Slowly
but surely the st. Paul moved sternward
in northeasterly direction, but stopped
like stubborn animal after having slid
through her sandy bed some fifty yards.
STILL DEEPLY EMBEDDED.
The tugs kept up their putting and pull
Sro = ~ urit 10 to
make the vessel bulge an inch further. and
then they left her. evidently deeply i'm
bedded as ever.
President Griscom remained on board
throughout. the entire day and was visited
by some Representatives of insurance COM
panies ana underwriters. who were inter,
these gentlemen, who refused to give their
names or the companies 10 which they be-
long, told the reporters that they believed
the accident was due to the mistake of the
man who was making the soundings with
the lead having mistaken the mark for
seven fathoms and announcing it as seven
teen fathoms
The press representatives were not al
lowed on board the st. Paul, but one of
their number managed to elude the watch
sul officers at the gangway and succeeded
in making his way to the captains cabin
this afternoon. Captain Jameson, he said,
ooked rather blue when he spoke to him.
In response 10 the reporters Inquiries, the
captain said:
TT is not true that any of the plates are
Dprung. and the vessel is all right. There is
no sign OF leaking. The Chapman & Mer-
rift people. who are in charge OF the bring
Ing off Of the ship. are sanguine of success
Ind l feel confident that she will move off
very soon. perhaps after couple of tides"
porters that he was too busily engaged to
zee them. but said that Captain Jameson
lad made statement as to how
The accident occurred, and he (Mr. Griscom)
expected that IL would thoroughly vindi-
cate tho st. Paul's commander. The ship
N M nav in
:ured. The work Of the wrecking companies
was progressing satisfactorily, and he was
sure the ship would soon be gotten off. This
was all the president would say.
There has been good rivalry between the
Merritt Company and the Chapman Wreck
Ing Company, OF Boston. to which of
work Capt. L. L. Seely. of the tug w. Is.
Chapment. was the first TO make fast
hawser to the disabled steamer and he
claimed prior right TO the contract. The
representatives OF the two companies have
come to mutual agreement, however, and
while Mr.: Merritt is on the St. Paul SUI
perintending the work. the Chapman COM
pany IS also represented on board by Super
intehdent Giblin, Assistant Superintendent
Tucker. Secretary Smith and two boss
wreckers. Captain Walcott, of the tug l.
j. Merritt. when seen to-day said there was
good cnance of getting the st. Paul afioat
in short time. The wind. which is from
the northwest quarter to-day, is nor favor
able TO the work of floating her. said
According to the captain a good cas- ,rly or
would do more to swing her free and clear
than an offshore wind. Captain Seely, of
the w. E Chapman. conceded with the
opinion. and he hopes to see the work ac-
complished within a week.
WORK OF THE LIGHTERS.
About 10 o'clock this forenoon two large
lighters steamed up alongside the st. Paul
and were made fast 10 her starboard quar-
ter and bow Then their derficks were put