Omaha daily bee., 1896-03-02
AMERICAN LINER GETS ArLoAT.
New York Pulled on the Bar with
Little Difficulty.

New York Pulled on the Bar with
Little Difficulty.
NEW YORK March 1.-Saturdays numer-
Gus marine disasters gave steamship and
shipping people plenty to talk and very
about today. The fog lifted this morning,
but drizzling rain kept up all day. After
her collision with the Ailsa, La Bourgogne
anchored in the lower bay, and this morn
ing Captain Porot decided to put back to
this city. This was done as q precaution-
ary measure and to allay any fears of the
passengers AS soon as the big vessel was
docked a force of men set to work placing
new plate on the starboard side near the
stern. The plate was four fest wide by If
teen feet long and three-eighths of an inch
thick. These repairs, 1t was said, were only
made as matter Of precaution, as the ves-
sci did not seem the worse for her collision
with the Ailsa.
A bulletin was posted in the office cabins
to the effect that La Bourgogne would sail
tomorrow morning. The captain and pilct
refused to talk to reporters about yester-
days collision. Superintendent West made
statement denying La Bourgogne was under
headway at the time of the collision. On the
contrary, he said, her engines were re-
versed before she struck the Ailsa. He said
that Immediately after the collision boat
was lowered and the first lieutenant and a
boats crew were dispatched to the Ailsa,
view in the fog. Mr.. West said he had no
apprehension of libel proceedings being insti-
tuted against La Bourgogne.
There is reason to believe that arbitra-
ton will be resorted to for a final settle
ment o: the matter
The American liner New York, which
grounded near the Qu!ckstep buoy in the
lower bay during the dense fog yesterday
morning, came off at $3.50 a. m. and steamed
at once to her dock in this city. The first
and second cabin passengers were transferred
to the city last night. During the night
LOO pieces Of cargo were transferred into
barges in order to tighten the steamer.
Shortly before Z this morning preparat ons
were completed to haul on the steamer.
Fortunately the weather proved most ia
vorabe and aided materially in floating the
ship. The wind was from the westward,
with a heavy easterly swell. l.
About O'Clock the wrecking steamers j. ID.
Jones and w. e. Chapman. assisted by the
powerful tugs Dorothy Ann, Wrestler, Dudley
Pray and l.. NJ Winslow Iimade their hawsers
fast to the New York audswith their heads
to the southeast pulled steadily on the
steamer The ships powerful twin screws
churned at full speed and at $50 the New
York heeled suddenly TO port and moved
| ahead toward the channel. The tugs haw-
sers were cast off and in less than five
minutes the New York was Ion her way to
the city. ft.H
While the New York was endeavorng to
free herself from the bottom the transfer
boat John E. Moore wen. alongside at s
| o'clock to take on board the steerage pas
sengers. A portion CT ithe passengers had
| been transferred to the Moore when Health
Officer Doty in his steamboat went along
| side the Moore. Doty quickly inspected the
| passengers CT board the Moore and boarded
| the New York when the remainder CT the
steerage passengers we're examined and the
| ship inspected. The health officer granted
| the usual quarantine certificate OF inspection
| 1t was while the health officer was passing
the passengers on the steamers deck ina
she came Off the bottom and shot ahead
| with the strain Of the tugs hawsers. The
| Moore was compelled to cast off her lines
and steer clear of the steamer. She ther
proceeded to the city with the passengers
| The remaining immigrants on board wen
with the steamer to her pier, where sh'
| arrived about 10 o'clock.
Second Captain Dioquel of La Bourgogn
| made the following supplementary statemen
tonight II was on the forecastle peak witt
| two watchmen, the boatswain, carpenter
and eight men. getting ready to lower an
| chors at the time of the collision. The en-
glnes had stopped, but the ship was moving
| with the ebb tide. We were taking sounding
| at the time. The Ailsa, I judge, was thei
some $50 feet away. Had we been going a
full speed we would have cHt her stem OF
81 signalled the captain and the engin
was sent astern, but before they could ge
control Of the ship the crash came. w,
damage had been done. The fog was tn
worst | ever saw and what with the whis
ties and bells around there was no lttl
| confusion"
The second captains statement is i'm
portant in that 1t differs from the statement
made by Captain West. Superintendent
West declared earlier in the day that LII
Bourgogne's engines were reversed befor
the collision occurred and that the ship wa
crawling al:ng at the slowest rate possible
Captain c. NJ. Walker of the Old Do
minon liner Guyandotte, which collided will
the Clyde liner, George w. Clyde, said i
any one was to blame it was the captain
the Clyde
The sunken Atlas liner, Ailsa, lies one
half mile south southwest OF Fort Hamil
ton in fifty feet of water. Her topmast an'
the top of her smoke stacks are out o
| water.
The Clyde line steamship, George A. Clyde
which was run into by the Old Dominion
liner Guyandotte, during the dense fog las
night, now lies beached on the Long ISLAND
shore half way between Fort Hamilton ant
| Owls Head. Three Chapman wrecking yes
| sells are discharging her cargo. The steamer
has large hole in her port side about mid