The San Francisco call., 1897-12-09

ASTORIA, Or, Dec. 8.-The unexpected
has happened. For six months the Foard
& Stokes Company of this city, purchasers
Of the German bark Potrimpos. which
went ashore on North Beach at 80 O'clock
on the morning OF Decem Der 49, 1896, have
been laying their plans and making
strenuous efforts to float the unfortunate
vessel. Expert wreckers were engaged,
four or five pumping engines, steam
winches and other valuable machinery
rlaced upon her, and, a few days ago,
Lawrence Foard of San Francisco, brother
Of the head of the firm here arrived on
the scene and took charge of the salvage
operations. A short time ago every pre-
paration was made to float the ship at the
present high tides, but disaster unexpect-
edIy overlook their efforts.
A SPECIAL di patch from the scene of the
wreck 10 the Astorian from Captain c. d.
stuart Of the Fort Candy life-saving crew,
hicl was early on the scsne, says the
BARK Potrimpos capsized on her beam
nds at 9:45 O'Clock this morning. She
has been afoat for the past two days.
Yesterday she moved about $50 fee far
ther north on the beach. At about $3.50
this morning she carried away the port
chock, tearing up the bulwarks and throw
ing the strain well abeam of the ship.
This prevented the men IN charge from
keeping her head 10 the sea, and there be-
ing NJ ballast aboard at 9:45 she turned
on her beam ends toward the sea- so tha
her spars struck the sand.
At the time of the accident there were
fourteen men aboard, including Mr. Foard,
Captain Drisko and the Chinese cook.
All reached shore by means OF the shore
lines attached 10 the ship.
Engineer James Carroll had narrow
escape. at the time of the accident he
returned to the cabin for his coat and got
wedged in. By breaking the cabin win
dow he managed to get out and reach
shore.
Both life-saving crews from Fort Candy
and Long Beach arrived on the scene
shortly after the men got ashore. The
vessel lies about $50 feet from the drift
logs and is pretty we'll sanded, but Mr..
Foard still has hopes of saving her.
When the heavy surf subsidies he will
make an examination, and, if she is not
float her. When the train left at 1:45
P. NJ. one of the sailors had succeeded In
boarding the ship.
Another account states that after the
ship foate yesterday all hands on board
were hard at work repairing to haul out
10 sea. This morning, lust before the
accident, she suddenly swung broadside
10 the sea, stood upright for few min
Il
throwing all hands into tie neavy break
ers. AS the deck remained perpendicular
they could not climb hack, but grasped
planks, matches, etc, which fell from the
ship, and all reached shore unin jured.
Had the tide been running out instead of
flooding all hands probably would have
found a resting place at the bottom of the
sea.
The Potrim pos now lies on her side with
her keel above the sand and Ter masts in
a horizontal position, pointing seaward.
Sand is ra pidly washing into the hold and
the engines and machinery are in danger
of being ruined. Shipping men say she
will strain badly IN such position ana
break up. II this is so it will entail loss
on Foard g. Stokes of about $4,000, spent
upon her since their purchase, besides the
value of the vessel and the dollars spent
10 float her by the original owners before
she was sold. The present owners bored
thirty-eight holes into her bottom and
rigged up a pumping apparatus o orce
water through The holes 10 losen the sand
in which she was mbedded, expecting
also to turn a certain amount OF water
ioto her afoat as ballast. 1t is said that
this water ballast, not being confined in
tanks and washing about with the storm,
was what caused the capsizing. Others
say that too strong a strain was placed
upon the cables connected with the tve
big anchors at sea by the steam Wlnches,
thus causing her to topple over.
The first news of the accl lent was
abrought to the Long Beach telephone
Ctation by Mrs. A. E. Sout,w lives near
the wreck. She was watching the vessel,
and, when it capsized, got on horse and
rode mum Der of miles to the telephone
office 10 notify the life-saving crews. Inc
Fort Candy crew went on the train, and
the Long Beach crew dragged is boat along
the sands to the scene of the accident, but
both arrived TO late too be oil any assist
ance. The only wonder is that when the
heavy spars fell into the water, with other
articles and machinery, some Of the men
we're not killed while struggling in the