The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-19
QUEER SALVAGE CASE.
Five Canal Boats Give U. S.
Commissioner Rowe a
Lively Case.

United States Commissioner Linsly
Rowe of this city is justly elated over a
clever capture yesterday Of five canal
boats, which with cargoes are valued at
$4,000 on d libel filed for salvage.
On Sunday afternoon last when the rain
and wind storm was at its height. Captain
George Hammond of Jersey City was
coming down the Hudson River with the
pilot tug Edwin Stevens. On the stretch
of the river known as Tappan Zee he met
five canalboats adrift. The furious wind
was rapidly driving them ashore when
the captain after great danger to his boat
and the lives of his crew managed to Sc
cure them with stout hawsers. The boats
were the Edward Mullen, George Fleck-
stein. Jennie, F. Quigley and w. H. New
comb &, Sons. Getting on board of them
he found to his establishment that in every
cabin dinner was spread, but there was
no one on board. The meals had evidently
been only placed on the table a few min
utes previously when the upa of
the barges had fed ashore for their lives
because the viands were still hot. Corned
beef and cabbage seemed to be the staple
hors d'oeuvre. The coffee in the cups was
hot.
Captain Hammond lowed the barges to
Weehawken. and FASTENED down to Conn
missioner Rowe. to file a libel for salvage.
Two elf the boats carried 5000 bushels of
wheat each, and the remainder 10, 900 BUSH
els, which, witt the value of the canal
barges, figured up a neat little total of
500, O0e, o~ne-quarter of which will go to
the ~salvors.
Commissioner Rowe at once instructed
a United States Marshal to proceed to
Weehawken and attach the five s~tragglers;
but that officer was jest too late. When
saw far out in the stream the barges in
tow of a steam tug, hired by the cap
tains. of he barges. They had hunted up
and down the river for their missing com
at Weehawken. When they were about
to take them away Captain Hammond
o 9 ]s,,ts on the ground that he had filed
now in the custody of the Government.
The Government be -" said one of
the captains, and Captain Hammond be-
ing outnumbered could not prevent the
men towing the boats across the river.
The captains believing themselves safe
from the jurisdiction of New Jersey law
Captain Hammond had Informed Commits
sioner Rowe that the bulky birds had
flown. Mr.. Rowe didn't let the grass grow
under his feet. He hurried over to New
York and filed a libel In the United States
District Court in that city, and a New
1crk marshal started to hunt the fugi-
tives among the wharves and docks of
Gotham. He had secured the river and
was just about to leave the Erie Basin in
Brooklyn last night in despair when he
saw the FIVE canalboats slowly entering
the basin. He waited until they were
safely moored, and then he stepped aboard
and affixed Uncle Sans warrant ON the
doors of the cabins. The canalboat cap
tains were thunGerstruck and couldn't re-
press their rage. Oaths and curses were
Of no avail, their boats were in Uncle
Sans grasp, and the old gentleman has
a pretty close grip.
Commissioner Rowe a few hours after
wards was deluged with kilograms from
merchants interested in the vessels and
their cargoes offering bonds for the set
Element of the claims. A compromise will
be effected today and Captain Hammond
and his gallant crew will soon have salv-
age money to burn.