The sun., 1896-01-28
REMOVING HER CARGO.
rHr slRANDED ST PAUL MUST BE
IIGHIENED TO BE FREED.

JIGHIENED TO BE FREED.
Several Hundred Tons OF Freight Removed
Ye.terday-No Change In Her roAition-
n Was an Omcer and Not n saiiorsar
whose Mistake sent Her Aground.
1oyu BRANCH. Jan. GA third effort TO
hnul the American line steamer st. Paul Off
the bar where she has been stranded since last
Saturday was made at o'clock this morning
The effort was less successful than either of the
Two previous ones. for the great liner refused to
nudge and the tugs, which had puffed and
snor,ed for an hour. finally had to give It up
The failure to mako any progress was a great
disappointment to the wrecking people, for
they we're confident that they would be able to
haul the steamer at least fifty feet further back
II satisfied them of one thing. however. and
that was that any attempt to haul the liner FREQ
without tightening her would be futile. Capt.
Merritt, who is In charge of the work, con-
cluded that TIE only thing to do was to free tho
steamer of her cargo, and his men and the mon
of the Chapman Company have been working
70 that end all day.
-Four lighters have been lying alongside all
day long, and the derricks on the steamer have
been in constant operation since early morning
II was SAID by a man who came ashore from the
steamer to-day that nearly 400 tons of the
cnrgo had been removed so far. In addition to
ills the steamer has been considerably light
ened by the removal Of tho twenty or more
heavy metallic lifcbonts which line her sides.
This morning the davits by which they arc sus-
p.uded were also removed. evidence Of tho fact
that everything possible is being done to help
alorG the work OF tightening the ship. It is
thought that by tomorrow night all the cargo
will have been removed. and then a determined
H.. L.
Is said that more tugs will como down from
New York, and that at tho first high water, II
O. her conditions are favorable, the whole feet
" III tug at once. With the assistance of the
steamers own screws, IL is thought that she
v i'll get free.
In the mean time the waves are building up q
solid wall OF sand on the St. Paul's port side,
and the fishermen hereabouts are shaking their
heads and saying that unless the steamer Is free
b very few days she will not get free al all.
They do not understand the plans Of the wreck
hg people and are inclined to crticise their
A,tion in allowing three high tides to 60 bv
Nthout making AN effort to free tho steamer.
The action Of the wreckers yesterday in setting
Two Of the tugs to hauling at the steamers
stern, leaving the other two and more pow erful
tow boats at anchor and idle. has mystlfed
many people. The two boats did not make the
slightest impression on tho steamer, although
the tide very high at the time.
1t has been said by the wrecking people that
until the weather braces up q bit they will be
unable to do much toward getting the steamer
freed A heavy storm might do the steamer
considerable damage, but light storm Is neces-
sary to do the work. they say. There must be
wind to blow in plenty of water and waves to
loosen the keel in the sand which is now packed
so tightly around her. The weather for tho last
few days has been remarka able for this time of
the year. 1t is usually bleak and cold hereabouts
during January, and the seas run high along
the coast. Fora few days. however. the weather
has been warm and the ocean almost as calm as
a mill pond. Tonight, however. It Is blowing
up colder, and there is quite heavy surf. The
st. Paul is brilliantly lighted. as she has been
every night since she has been here, but every
thing is quiet aboard OF her. and 1t is evident
thai no work is being done. The portion of the
cargo loaded on tho lighters to-day consisted
principally Of glassware, dry goods and perish
able articles. Custom House Officer j. c. Pat
t"rson superintended the work.
1t was discovered To-day that one OF the blades
of the port propeller has sustained a slight in
Jury. triangular piece has been broken out of
1t. How it happened is not known, but it is
thought that part OF the screw may have been
buried in the sand on Sunday morning when the
steamer was moved 100 feet The screws were
set going at full force when the tugs began tow
In. ut that time. and II is thought possible that
one OF the blades may have come in contact
with rock or metal obstruction. This, accord
Ing to the officers OF the ST. Paul, is the only in
jury she has sustained since she went ashore.
In every other way they say she is intact. None
OF her plates show any signs Of the strain to
which she has been subjected, and no holes
have been stove IN her anywhere. The officers
admit. however, that when she Is docked they
may find some serious injuries to her keel.
capt. Jamison WAS seen on the steamer to-day
BY reporter The Captain refused again to
discuss the accident saying that he had moth
ihG to say any way and wished people would
understand that he meant that when he said 1t.
CaM JamtSon seemed in excellent humor.
y SiN reporter talked to Capt. Merritt on
board the st. Pau. over the telephone to-day.
he asked him to make some kind Of a statement
regarding Inc work being done the steamer.
Capt. Merritt said IN reply:
We are row ut work unloading the cargo
and will do nothing lse until wa finish that
work, which We hope will be tomorrow after
noon. The gold is stili aboard, and will prob
ABLY not be removed at present. No further nt-
tempt will be made just now TO move her. She
Ii resting easy and in good condition. AL! we
want now is little and good wind"
Inc Captain was led IL he hoped to get tho
f, Paul of soon.
Yes" he replied. "if don't I won't get q
cent for my work"
Ills SAID here that a contract has been made
oe'Neen the International Navigation Com pany
ana The wrecking ompanies. whereby the latter
Are 10 get 900 II they get the steamer safely
VII, AL" nothing II they do not succeed.
'ap'. Warde!l OF the Chapman agency. the
MA" who directed the work Of freeing L'Amer-
,9Ue ana the irrawnddy. is aboard of the St.
F"lI Tonight. lie refuses TO be interviewed.
An 0FEICEf TOOK yHE EOUNDIyGS.