New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-25
TO RAISE THE AILSA.
NEW COMPANY PROPOSES TO DO 1T
WITH CAISSONS.
r,,ry WILL, BE SUNK ALONGSIDE OF THE VESSEL
AND AFTER CHAINS HAVE BEEN fA''HD
UNDER HER. COMPRESSED AIR
WILL BE USED

AND AFTER CHAINS HAVE DEN f"
UNDER HER. COMPRESSED AIR
WILL BE USED.
After a long delay the work Of salving the
cargo Of the Atlas Line steamship Ailsa' whlch
was sunk of Fort Hamilton. began yesterday.
The water was calm as In midsummer anu
there was hardly ripple visible ABOUT Lie
smokestack and masts OF the wrecked Vesse'
when the tug Argus and a covered barge mauc
fast to the wreck. There was star or divers
Ind assistants on board the vessels, which are
employed by the Milford Pneumatic Salvage
Company. recently incorporated In this State.
The vessel and cargo were insured in England,
and the foreign underwriters are represented
here by Arthur II. Clarke. Of No. % State-st,
New-York who had the control Of all the ar
rangements for the salvage. Bids were asked
for and the Chapman Wrecling and Derrick
Company was the only concern to put in an offer
Tie Merritt Coast Wrecking organization made
10 bid believing II Is said that the ship and
cargo were not worth the cost involved. The
Chapman bid wac rejected and bid was asked
for on a percentage basis. Captain Chapman did
not see 1t that way, AMI the negotiations were
allowed to lapse 1t was at this stage that the
Pneumatic Salvage Company appeared, and OBJ
tanned the contract to salve both ship and cargo.
The Office Of the firm is In Room No. 179, at
No As Broadway and ther, Tribune reporter
found President Cummings yesterday Mr. Cum
mings when asked what mis- plans were, said:
"Our system Is not new. by any means. 1t
was tried I'm France a hundred years
aCo II Is to sink caissons alongside the sub
merged vessel. and then expel the water from
them by means Of compressed air, and SO HI
the vessel to the surface. Every valve and
part Of our plan has been patented. but our
combination OF these parts Is entirely diHereht
from anything ever tried before We insist
that we are able to control the action Oh the
valves and caissons from the deck OF a tug
moored alongside the submerged wreck. You
can see the model standing In That room. Each
calsson is thirty feet long with diameter OF
eight feet which will give to each a lifting
power OF thirty tons These will be fastened
10 chains passing underneath the wreck. and we
expect 10 raise the Ailsa without any difhcuity'
Two or three vessels have been raised already
by our system. Pneumatic power was used
70 raise the steamer Allegheny In the Delaware
River Rubber bags were placed In the hoiu
and Inflated and then the water tanks were
pumped out and filed with compressed ar
Proper care was not taken TO ascertain thc
vessels centre OF gravity. and az result the
wreck was turned completely over and the
lob was abandoned. Now the Government Is
begging some one to take her out Of the chan
mel Of the river. We shall take proper pre-
csufions that nothing OF that sort occurs 70 the
Allsa The Chapman company could not 90
tho contract on any other than percentage
basis and the Merritt people think they nav
Tie only plant In the por, that can rtise W. W.
steamer. go that IL no" the case staids.
eNroci L. have the vessel anoIt before MAY J.
The model referred 10 by NJ. CUMMINGS Is
built II slaves. Ike 2 barrel, ana no ip,l ~
III 4 linz
h-r ~ valves AMI IN these arrangement tle sy-
CO, II the owners Hes. Mr.. Cummings said his
divers would continue ~ work from now on re-
moving the cargo ~ the sunken vcss"..
S.rn. O.. the cargo which foatei ashore ms
been stolen. and some of It has been lost. one
set 4 hatch covers came OF the day M "a,
wreck and the r,st are believed 10 nave lArl'u
company with IN" ship last ThursGay, VIZ" 49,.
h.avlssi sea ever seen In the Narrows was NV
ming Much cargo came ont of ~" ship that day.
nlur and on I'm barrels. candles, futi"hia ia
b.x.s and passengers luggage. All ~ TINS np'
picked up dr.i;ed up the river but with thr COD
tide much OF the cargo no doubt went ou' 10
\ quantity Of goods Is held by some o. the
boachcombcrs At Fort Hamilton for salvage ana
Yesterday the salvage companys Waterman
tried Intellectually 10 recover 1t. until the saIN
are IS uald there IS little chance of recovering
the goods part Of which consists or costly bi-
cycle oil All the currants which came ashore
spoiled but the -four and PORK Wefs II, goo
the -four barrels. which saved the rest Oh the
contents -,
This project Of raising the steamer VIII he
uat,.h.5 with interest. as II Is practically new
departurc from the established system or eW-
Moving a costly plant OF derricks and pontcons
for wrecking purposes Experienced wreckiils
mon take no stock in the plan. and intimate that
the financial hackers OF the pneumatic caissons
will have a costly experience before they get
through with salving the Ailsa she Is SAID 10
have settled ten feet into the sand ana her stern
, is now In sixty feet OF water. so fur as OUT
ward appearances go. she is in just the same
condition and place now as she was the Day at'er
she went down.