Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-01-27
THE ST. PAUL

- i'afy sea was running, ana the long
ground swell rolling up along the Jersey
coast was so powerful that the lifeSavers
decided that il would be impracticable TO
launch their big lifeboat until the sea went
down 10 some extent. Preparations were
at once begun Tor opening communication
with the vessel, however.
The lifeline apparatus was hauled down
to the edge OF the water and shot with
lifeline attached was fired out into the
log where dim outline of the vessel could
be hardly distinguished
The first Shot went directly across the
decks of the big steamer The men on
board hauled in the line hand over hand
until they had dragged the end OF a haw-
ser fastened To the line by the life savers.
Upon the signal from the steamship
that all was made fast, the life savers sent
out the hreeches buoy to the vessel. The
big fog whistles of the St. Paul had been
kept going at intervals during the night.
shortly before she went ashore the fog
was so dense that the whistles were kept
gong almost continuously. The noise
not only had the effect of keeping the pas
sengers awake, but many Of them were on
deck when the vessel struck the bar. She
had been kept going at a low rate of
speed, and the shock when she grounded
was q comparatively gentle one.
The Passengers Notified.
Immediately after she struck the pas.
seusers were all summoned to the deck.
where they We're notified of the accident
All were told that the vessel was in no
danger. The rigging of the brooches buoy
was carried on in the forward part of the
vessel, out of sight of the passengers, who
were not informed of the work of the life.
savers until the hawser was made fast
md the breeches buoy was ready to carry
passengers.
All those on board We're then informed
that they might go ashore if they choose,
but the fact that they would be in no dan.
ger by remaining ON board was again
emphasized
AL of the passengers decided to remain
on board in preference TO taking chances
with the breeches buoy.
As quickly as possible after the an
paratus was i'll working order, message
was sent ashore from the ship to be tele-
graphed to the agents of the American
line IN New York. notifying them of the
accident. Another message was sent To
the Merritt Il Chapman Wrecking com.
pany 5, asking that powerful tugs be dis.
patched NJ once to the assistance of the
steamship
Owingto the light shock with which she
was struck her officers thought with SLIGHT
assistance she might be pulled off in case
the tugs reached the spot before the big
nun OF the vessel had time to work its way
down in the sand Of the bar. The ST
Pauls own engines had, of course, been
reversed as soon as the vessel ran on the
bar, but their efforts to drag the ship
back We're unavailing
The Life Savers.
The crews at Seabright and Monmouth
beach We're the first to arrive to assist the
Long Branch life savers. At daylight the
news that big steamship was ashore had
spread for miles along the coast, and the
beach was lined with crowds of curious
ookers-on. At that time the wind was
blowing from a southwesterly direction.
The wind was blowing off shore and con
was not calculated to increase
he size of the big rollers that came in |
rom the sea and broke with terrific force |
IN the bar
The life savers were still afraid to ven |
ure out into the surf with their lfeboats |
It that hour, but they had their boats |
Town at the waters edge and dressed in |
'ork jackets and Oil skins stood in readi |
less to launch a surf boat as soon as the
ea should go down little
The point at which the St Paul struck
S opposite the point known as East End
which lies between Long Branch proper
md New Long Branch. This point is al.
most directly opposite the Brighton hotel.
Messages passed constantly between the
'essel and the shore during the early
morning hours. From these it was
earned that the officer on duty on the
was not aware of the proximity
f the coast until after she struck. The
essel was rolling heavily when she struck.
he ST. Paul has about 200 bags of mail
n board.
Campania's Close Call.
Another steamer, the Campania, was at
nchor mile down the beach. She came
cry near going ashore also, but was sig
allied by the life-saving station and sue
eeded in keeping off.
When the Chapman Wrecking company
Continued ON page 2.