The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1896-02-01
A DRAWING CARD.

Thousands Throng the Beach at Long
Branch to Watch the Intellectual Efforts
Made to Pull the Famous Ocean Grey
hound, the Steamer St. Paul, from Her
Cradle In the Sand Into Deep Water.
LONG BRANCH, n. j., Jan. 27.-Ten
thousand visitors from the numerous
resorts north and south of this place,
as well as from New York, Fhiladel-
phia and the larger New JERSEY towns,
flocked here to-day and repaired to the
beach to watch the efforts made to
pull the steamer st. Paul, the famous
ocean greyhound, over the bar into
deep water. The ship was moved 10
feet seaward, but the flood tide was
not of sufficient duration to enable the
crews of the steamer and the wreck
ing companies to haul her into water
deep enough to float. There were so
powerful tugs opposite the St. Paul
ready to render assistance, but they
We're not utilized.
Six immense anchors were planted
in the sea abOut a ahousand yards
from the stranded vessel. Fastened 10
the anchors were several steel hawsers
III WIZ SOhliCClCb Win JlC DOH-
erful capstan on the stern of the ship.
This capstan was rotated by steam
power furnished by the steamers boil
ers and engines. Everything was in
readiness for the haul and soon after
midnight the engines were started.
The hawsers frightened, the
capstan creaked, and inch by inch
the big st. Paul was pulled seaward.
When the tide turned to the e5b. the
boat had moved nearly one-third of
her length and was placed in Il more
advantageous position, rs, at low tide,
she was only six feet in the sand and
in IL feet of water. The strain on the
hawSerS was kept moderately taut
during the day in order to keep the
ship from again moving toward the
beach.
No attempt vas made to float her
while the afternoon tide was at the
flood. Those in charge predict hat
tO-morrow's high tide will be higher
than that of to-day, and with favor
able conditions they expect to com
plete the work begun SO a~uSpiciously.
The sea was almost as quiet to-day
as the prOverbial mill pond. This
state of affairs caused the l~ifc-saving
creHs to remove from the ship the
line thrown to her when stranded,
which was used to run the brooches
buoy to land.
All the passengers of the St. Paul
were taken to New York in tugs late
yesterday afternoon. bat the entire
crew. numbering 400. including many
women, remain on board. and have
not come ashore since the st. Paul
struck.
The officers of the st. Paul deny tho
report that the vessel was injured
when she struck. They say there is
no water in her hold, and her plates
are Just as intact as the day She was
launched.
One of the novel features of the day
was the rigging of Il telephone Or
board the boat to onnect with the
shore. The shore end is connected
with the local telephone system, and
by this means the ships officers are
able to communicate with their agents
in the city.
The scene on Ocean avenue in front
of the beached steamer resemblcd d
county fair: improvised lunch rooms,
cigar stands and travelling speak
casics' furnished food and drink tC
the multitude. On the portico of one
big summer hotel, now closed. was a
large sign reading: Seats to Let"
and the enterprising mar in charge
reaped a harvest of shekcls.