Evening journal., 1897-08-13
ALLEN WANTS SALVAGE
He Has Filed a Libel Against
the La Viguesa.
FOR SERVICES IN SAVING HER


GIVING OF sECURITY-oTHERs
MAY COME IN AND MAKE
CLAIMS.
Deputy Collector Of Customs Benja-
min B. Allen of this city, through A. b.
Cooper, filed a libel yesterday for
salvage against the Spanish barken-
tine La Viguesa, which he helped to
save from destruction by fire at the
Marcus Hook oil wharves ON August 9.
He has given security for costs and
the barkentine is in THE hands OF
United States Marshal Lannan.
The libel is as follows:
THAT on the ninth day OF August, A.
D., 1897 the said libellant being on
board the British steamer Luciline,
which was lying on the souJn side OF
The Standard Oil COmpanys wharf at
Marcus Hook in the district aforesaid,
/ htard a great noise and cOmmOtion on
the deck of said steamship and imme-
diately went on deck from the cabin in
which he was dining and from there
saw sheets OF flame and fire surround
ing, spreading over and upon the sides
of the said barkentine La Viguesa,
which was lying mOOred to the north
ern side of said wharf.
The said libellant at once went upon
the said wharf and to the burning YES
sci, but could not see any Of her crew,
/ .hey having deserted her. He (sald
! libeilant) then ran to the shore end Of
tie wharf looking for assistance, but
could get none. He then returned TO
Ihe southern side Of said wharf and as
sisted in casting off the bow lines Of
the said steamship Luciline, and while
there he saw one OF the crew Of The said
barkentine la Viguesa in the water,
and being assisted by another man
threw him line and drew him up on
the wharf. Said libellant then return
ed to the upper side OF the wharf and
tried to loosen the bow lines of said
| barkentine so that she could floalt from
the dock, but he could not do so, as
| they were too taut. Said libellant then
ran quickly to the end of the dock and
there found the quarantine tug John e.
Mehrer, which had come to render as
sistance and with and on her came two
men whom this libellant thinks were
Lea Burton and George Richardson,
and they, with the captain Of said tug
came ashore and said Burton and
Richardson went aboard Of said burn
ing vessel and lOosened her bow lines
so that said barkentine might be cast
loose from the wharf, which said libel
lent, with the others, did; after This TN,
said ibellant then started to cut The
oil pipe which connected the said bark
entine with the wharf, but broke hi.
knife, and said George Richardson
completed the cutting The stern lin
of said barl1entine was then lOcseneC
and said hbellant then took 1t from
. the wharf post and handed ii to an Of
fcer of said tug, John e. Me'hrer, ant
got aboard of said tug himself, and as
sis cd in making fast said line TO saiC
tug. The said burning barken.tine was
then tCwed by said tug to an anchor
age away from the wharf, which wa:
then on fire. The said tug then lef
her and returned to assist the saiC
steamship Luciline to a safe anchorage
and shortly afterwaTd returned TO salt
barkenline and played her hose upol
{ the burning vessel until the fire wa
extinguished. The said libellant wen
aboard the said barkentine while TIN
vessel was burning and made a thor
Ough examination to ascertain II an,
of the crew were aboard of her, but dir
not find anyone After remaining
e aboard for some time and the fire be
Q ing extinguished, he, the said libellani
e came ashore in the said tug and iron
!. I thence to his home in Wilmington.
n THAT the said barkentine was lyin
L at the said wharf as aforesaid lCade
e or being loaded with petroleum, or ON
Of the products thereof, and had a larg
| quantity thereof aboard. That said Il
bellant is informed and AYERS that tn
a., said fire was very dangerous in IL
character and was caused by the ign
= tiOn OF petroleum, or one Cf the Pre-
ducts thereof. which was floating o
the surface Of the water around sal
|. barkentine and said wharf. which sal
wharf was an important shipping poiI
for petroleum or the products thereo
=, THAT by reason Of the dangerou
and inaammable character of the sal
cargo and the surroundings general
; prompt and active efforts were r
0uired and. the crew of said barkentir
having abandoned ner, had it not bee
lg for the quick and efficiens action
:" said libellant and the o5her person
al herein named and referred to the sa
lie barkentine La Vlguesa would hay
been blown up and totally DESTROYED
burned, causing not only the loss
said tarkentine and her cargo. nut el
- dangering persons and property adj
e cent thereto
A 'eThat the approximate value Of sa
d. barkentine Ia Vigues1 is S90.O00, an
the approximate value OF the cargo
= the goods, wares and merchandi
aboard said barkentine is $4,000"
The libel closes by stating III
Deputy Collector Allen and the Oth
persons named are justly entitled
meet and competent salvage and as
ing for process of attachment ar
L monition may issue.
- The attachment was placed in u
hands of Marshal Dannan this NOR
ing, and he proceeded to Marcus HoC
Immediately, seized the barkentine an
left a deputy marshal aboard pendiI
the giving of bond by F. A. Marsily
Co. of philadelphia, who are the agen
and brokers for the owners.
1t is likely that the other persoi
who were engaged in the work Of sa
ing the barkentine will also fle libe
Steamer City of Chester leav
T1o,rrab street wharf z o'clock wi