The San Francisco call., 1896-03-01
While Entering in a Dense Fog
the, Big Ocean Greyhound
Sticks in the Mud.
ONCE RELEASED FROM DANGER.
But the Second Time the Vessel
Strikes All Efforts Fail to
Release Her.

NEW YORK, n. Y, Feb. 29-Misfor-
tune again overlook the American Line
Steamship Company to-day for the sec
ond time within month. One of their
vessels, the New York. the first of the trans
Atlantic transports to fly the Stars and
Stripes, grounded within this harbor dur
ing a dense fog. The steamer lies easy
midway between Sandy Hook and Staten
Island, in the main channel. Although
she is hard aground, her nose being buried
some six or seven feet in the mud, and is
exposed to any violent gales liable to blow
up, the owners are not apprehensive and
her position IS considered not to be a
dangerous one. Another point in her fa-
vor is that she went on at comparatively
low tide.
The New York sailed from Southampton
for this port Saturday, February %, car
rying good number of passengers. She
had hard voyage, but managed to reach
Sandy Hook without any startling Incl
dent. 1t was nearly o'clock this morn
ing when the great ocean greyhound
rounded Sandy Hook and pointed her
nose for the ship channel. 1t was then
very foggy, so much SO in fact that none
vessels into this port round about the
Hook were discernible from the New
York's deck. The vessel was feeling her
way carefully in. Several hours before
Pilot Dick Bagley had been taken aboard
and he was guiding the steamers course.
Slowly the vessel pushed on through the
thick vapor. The lookout wa vainly try
ing to peer through the heavy mass, while
seaadngs were being taken continually.
The compass was being eagerly watched
and shortly before 4 o'clock showed the
vessels position to be about right.
Soon after clock the men on watch
were startled by violent shaking of the
boat. There was sudden quivering,
louc grinding, which told to the expert
enced seafaring men only too well what
had happened.
"My God, we are aground" despairingly
shouted the pilot.
''Reverse the engines quick; reverse
them; we are hard ashore" )" was the COM
mand excitedly given through the tube to
the engineer. Quick as flash the engines
were reversed and for several minutes the
vessel stood to its bed. Harder and harder
were the engines driven and after half
dozen minutes more the big liner began to
move and was once more in deep water
just south of the middle buoy.
"Thank God" said the pilot, and he
breathed heavy sigh of relief.
THAT was close CALL" said he to the
lookout. "That's as close to it as l ever
was"
The steamer then proceeded slowly,
groplng her way, intending to anchor
mile or two further in the upper bay.
Captain Grant was on the bridge and extra
lookouts were distributed about the deck.
The big foghorn incessantly rent the air
with its notes of warning. Those on deck
were discussing their lucky escape few
minutes after. when the vessel, oulvering
from stem to stern, suddenly stopped.
Again that grinding noise and splashing
of water, with perceptible listing of the
ship. For a moment the captain and pilot
gazed on each other, speechless.
''Thats the earth again, sure" were the
words that broke the silence coming from
the pilots lips. Once more were the en-
gines reversed and every effort put forth
to drive the ship back into the channel.
but it was of no avail. She was hard
aground sure enough. There was much
suppressed excitement, but discipline pre-
vailed. Captain Grant was calm and gave
his orders with great precision. Hasty ex-
animation showed everything all right be-
low. A drop of the lead line showed about
four fathoms of water under the steamer
and that she was buried in mud bank.
The shaking of the big boat was not vio-
lent, not even sufficient to awaken the
passengers, who slspt on serenely, uncon-
sc;ous of their predicament.
When morning dawned the disheartened
officers still found dense fog prevailing.
Looking down from the stern of the ship
they saw boldly sticking out of the water
two blades of the propeller. They then
realized that they were far upon the bank.
At CLOCK the passengers began to as
semble on deck for promenade prepara-
tory to breakfast They noted nothing
wrong, but thought the ship was anchored
owing to the fog. 1t was not until after
breakfast had been served that the news of
the grounding of the boat was made
known to them. It was not pleasant news
to the 21O cabin passengers aboard, who
were anxious to get to the city, and all
queries as to the probability of their being
landed to-day were answered with a
Cant say" However, they took the situa-
ton good -naturedly and made themselves
as comfortable as possible.
The steamer kept up continual blowing
for assistance. which was answered by a
passing tug about 7:30 this morning.
Word of the grounding of the vessel was
brought by the tug to the office of the Mer-
rift Wrecking Company in this city, and
that concern Immediately sent down to
the New York's assistance three tugs, the
Stephen Merritt. d. s. Arnott and J. D..
Dones. The tugs made no effort to pull
the vessel off during the morning or after
noon, but confined themselves to keeping