St. Paul daily globe., 1896-01-27
VESSEL REMAINS AGROUND,
THOUGH PROGRESS HAS BEEN
MADE IN THE WORK OF
FLOATING HER.
NO FEARS FOR HER SAFETY.
Captain Not Held RespOnsible for
the Disaster-Vesse1 Not
Racing.


tional Navigation company, popularity
known as the American line, have taken
decidedly more hopeful view of the
situation of the stranded steamer st.
Paul They place great reliance on
the Merritt and Chapman wrecking
companies, who have charge of the
pulling off of the big steamer, and
they hope to have the ST. Paul at her
berth at the foot of Vezey street, New
York, before the end of this week.
The vessel is now about $50 feet fur
ther towards the northeast than where
she lay last night, owing to the efforts
of the wrecking tugs which were hard
at work to relieve her about o'clock
this morning, and it is thought she will
be further eased before daylight tomor-
row.
The crowds of sight-seers which were
in evidence yesterday were more than
double today. Ocean avenue was sim
ply Jammed with a surging mass of
humanity. Vehicles of all descriptions
were pressed into service and when
they were all jumbled together near the
end Of Ocean avenue, East Long
Branch, they presented very anus
there is scarcely a person who resides
within twenty miles Of this place who
has not come to see the big ocean racer
lying helpless within a stones throw
of the Grand View hotel veranda.
When the trains arrived from New
York today they brought a host Of
Gothamites who were anxious to
SEE THE RIG liner
and the majority Of them wondered
how on earth she could possibly have
reached the spot in which she is stuck
hard and fast.
The weather today was most en-
joyable and the sea was very calm.
The breakers were not nearly so heavy
as on yesterday, and the surf boats
easily put out through them and
brought hundreds Of passengers around
the ship. The report that the ship
Foyle, of London, bound from New
York to Calcutta, had sunk late last
night and one of her life-boats com
ing ashore off West End this morning
added to the interest manifested by
the visitors as to the safety OF the ST.
Paul. This morning about 4 o'clock,
NitCll Tie llNS was lUII, InSre was q,
heroic attempt to pull the steamer out
of her difficulty by use of "kedge"
anchors. aided by her own machinery,
and the combined power of four large
tugs. The haWsers were strained to
their utmost and the huge bulk
creaked and shiVered for fully half an
hour under the immense power brought
to bear upon it. The tcilers were final
ly rewarded by seeing the hawsers re-
lax and rousing cheer announced
to the anxious watchers who fitted
about the beach in the darkness that
the steamr had been moved a little.
Slowly but surely the ST. Paul moved
sternward in a northeasterly direction,
but stopped like a stubborn animal,
after having slid through her sandy
bed more than fifty yards. The tugs
kept up their putting until o'clock
without being able to make the vessel
bulge an inch further, and then they
left her evidently as deeply imbedded
as ever.
President Griscom remained on
board throughout the entire day and
was visited by some representatives of
Insurance companies and underwriters
who were interested in the safety of
the ship. Two Of these gentlemen, who
refused to give their names or the
companies to which they belonged, told
the reporters they believed the acci-
dent was due to the mistake of the
man who was making the soundings
with the lead, having mistaken the
seven fathoms mark and announcing
it as seventeen fathoms
The press representatives were not
allowed on board the st. Paul, but one
of their number managed to elude the
watchful officers at the gangway and
succeeded in making his way to the
captains cabin this afternoon
Capt. Jameson, he said, looked
rather blue when he spoke to him. In
response to the reporters inquiries the
captain said: 1T is not true that any
of the plates are sprung, and the