The San Francisco call., 1896-01-26
Had Been in Sight of the Rival
Campania for Many
Hours.
ALL THE PASSENGERS RESCUED.
Efforts to Get the Steamer Safely Back
in Deep Water Made Without
Success.

NEW YORK, n. Y, Jan. 25.-The
American line steamship St. Paul, from
Southampton for New York, which went
ashore on the outer bar off the Hotel
Brighton, Long Island, this morning, was
just finishing $500 miles tussle with that
other ocean greyhound, the Campania, of
the Cunard line.
Both boats, 1t appears from the stories of
passengers, had been travelling at top
speed for seventeen hours in sight of each
other, and though it is declared that
neither was racing, each seemed anxious
10 get to Sandy Hook first. This fact is
acknowledged by Captain Walker of the
Campania. Both vessels ran into a fog
bank unexpectedly and then slowed down.
After that the vessels were within sight of
each other two or three times.
At few minutes after l o'clock the ST.
Paul drove her bow into the sand less than
half-mile from the iron pier used by ex-
cursion steam boats during the summer
season. She is still aground tonight hard
and fast and may remain on the beach for
several days. An effort was made to re-
lease her at high water this afternoon, but
it was not a success. The vessel has 63
saloon, IS second cabin and 120 steerage
passengers,
The first and second class passengers of
the ST. Paul were landed IN the city at a
few minutes before o'clock this evening
on the steamboat George w. Starr, TO
which they had been transferred from the
stranded steamship in lifeboats. The trans
fer was made without mishap and the pas
sengers all seemed in good spirits. There
were about 100 people waiting for them at
the pier. At 10 minutes past o'clock
this evening the tug Lewis Pulver arrived
at the pier with the mail. There were 200
sacks and they were at once conveyed TO
the Postoffice.
Ex-Congressman Bourke Cochran was
one of the first passengers to come ashore
from the steamer. reporter from The
United Press asked him if he thought the
steamships were racing while in sight of
each other yesterday, and he replied:
"No, l don't think there was a race.
Transatlantic steamers usually make as
good time as possible. I was in bed when
the steamship grounded, but awoke. The
accident disturbed Us very little
Under Sheriff Louis Worth of BROOKLYN
and his bride were among the last to land
from the steamer. Asked what he knew
of the accident, Mr.. Worth said:
"Well, 1 suppose we were racing with
the Campsnia. On Friday morning we
sighted her about twelve miles astern.
She came up very fast, and at clock
was half mile from us. Then the race
started. We could feel the increased speed.
and at clock We were two miles ahead.
Then we ran into fog, and although some
OF the passengers thought they saw the
a uIo inst al rtp IN 7
went to bed, and did not awaken until
about 2 o'clock when [ found the ma
chinery stopped and the ship aground.
There was no perceptibIe shock. It
was rather monotonous waiting to be
taken off, but it might have been worse
Now, do not wish to be quoted as saying
that she ran aground while racing. 1
believe that the excitement of the race put
the officers off their guard and when thev
ran into the fog they did not know where
they were"
H. c. Morton of this city, said that the
trip was one without particular incident
until the Campania was sighted.
''It seems to me- he said, chat the
boats were racing as they were going at a
very rapid rate of speed. but it is probable
that the speed was no greater than is usual
on ocean voyages"
John Seyreberg, of London, who was also
a passenger, said:
Il believe the boats were racing. They
were side by side for several hours"
He added that he saw no pilot aboard
the ST. Paul at the time of the accident.
H. +. Howland, a London capitalist,
said:
"The boats were racing for several
hours. 1t was rumored on the st. Paul
that the Campania also went ashore five
miles below where the st. Paul struck and
that she came off all right soon after
ward"
Henry P. Bidwell of Liverpool, another
OF the St. Paui's passengers, thought the
racing had nothing to do with the acci-
dent. The ships only raced, he thought,
during the daylight.
Nice-President Wright and Manager
Griscom of the American line were at the
pier Office during the morning, ard W ere
IN telephone com mmunication with Long
Branch. The wires were in a very un-
satisfactory condition, but word came
from Captain Jamison that the vessel was
lying easy. ALI OF the Merritt g. Chapman
Wrecking vessels started early to the as
sistance OF the st. Paul, and later the tugs
Mlllard, Evarts and PuIver were sent
@1"n by the company in the charge of
lame Saperintendent shackford, who
'oUh with him gang of steyedores.
ne Ilie-savlng crew of Station at 1: AS
Cloch began the work of transferring the
Tl ISsseh gers from the vessel to the tugs
Inc TASK was an extremely difficult one,
as there was heavy sea running and ii
was attended with considerable danger to
the passengers unaccustomed to positions
necessary.
Especially was this true as regards the