The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-08
WRECK OF THE
MARIA TERESA.
The Engineer Of the Repair Ship Vul-
can Tells Of the Disaster.
HELD ON AS LONG AS POSSIBLE.
She Was Only Abandoned to Her Fate
when il was Feared She Would
Drag the Vulcan Down win
ncr-Thc flag Was Flying

NORFOLK. Va. NOV. Especial After
holding on 10 the Inflated lnianta Mara
teresa four hours after the signal to
cast OF had been given. the naval repair
shin Vulcan arrived in Hampton Roads
TODAY 10 report the failure OF her last
desperate attempt 90 save the former
Spanish warship. 10 was tale Of dar-
ing that was tod by her officers, the men
VII, stood by the faicd ship despite the
imminent danger OF nv sinking ana
dragging the Vulcan down with her. The
account given uy Chief. Enginccr Sims
OF the last attempt 10 save the Teresa IS
els follows.
I'VE held so the Teresa by 15inch
hawsor. secured by "a chain bride around
the after bits and also tho bits on
either quarter our position was most
prccarious one. bat fhe most hazardous
work came after the Merritt had rescued
our los mon from the Teresa. At that
time thc seas were running so high we
could only see the tips OF the MerTjtts
luasts. tho Teresa Vas rolling and plung-
Eng and our great danger i'm casting of
from her was the fear that-the chain
brllo and hawser would foul our pro-
pener.
ABANDONED.
"Whcn 81 became evident that to stand
d. the Teresa longer meant certain
death. the Nulcan's engines were stopped,
The men stood by with axes, and al The
word Of command from Lieut. Gilmer
fhe lashnes we're cut. the chain bride
Thrown overheard. and the Maria Teresa
was left TO her fate. but not until we
had fought as long as possible 10 hoid
her.
For some time aftcrwari tho Teresa
maintained her course In the vulcan
wake but evidently thousands OF tons OF
water were going over her from stem 10
stern. and she could not float much long
cr When last seen al $40 O'Clock she
wns rapidly settling She took a header
and we thought her gone, but she right
"a and there ~ her stern still Heated de-
family the flag Of her cOnquerors Three
cheers for tho nag / called and they
were given with a will by the hatless,
coatless scamen. who had lost all their
clothing As tho darkness settled the
flag stlll noated. while the ship rolled on
her beams. She probably went down
fcw minutes afterward We never heard
Tho Morritt's whistle. and headed north
cast al night ar two knots. barely steer
ago way. At daylight We turned and
went back 10 whore we last saw the
Teresa. There was nothing to be seen
az her or the Merritt and the gale in
Creasing I'm the evening we turned and
camo 20 Hampton Roads"
VULCAN NOT HURT.
Although badly shaken up the Vulcan's
crow is in prime condition. and the ship
could go 10 sea now. The Chief Engi-
ne.r declared that 70 was almost impos-
gihie for the men 20 work below aboard
tho Teresa on account Of the foul air, I'm
which n lamp would not burn Almost
daily skeletons OF Spanish sailors were
foun1 below
A peculiar coincidence was the arrival
simultaneously with the Vulcan Of the
German ship Senior. first chartered by
tho Morritts 20 raise the Teresa There
arrived in this city to-day ffty-nine OF
the crew Of the lost warshiD. They came
from Charleston 20 Primers Point via
The Atlantic Coast Line. and were met
hy the navy yard tug Wahneta The meN
were taken Immediately down tho Roads
and placed aboard the Vulcan. They
were without coats, caps. or shoes. hav-
ing lost everything when they abandoned
The Teresa. Lieut.. Commander Harris
was I'm command lie viii probably re-
turn here TO report 10 the commandant
Of the navy yard
MERRITT EXPECTED
The Merritt is. Captain Henry Seymour,
Norfolk manager of the Merritt Concern.
stated to-day, expected 90 arrive here to-
morrow She left Charleston yesterday.
Aboard her are nineteen Cubans. who
were OF the crew which started 10 bring
the Teresa 20 Norfolk. These men. Cap
tain Seymour said. would De sent to their
homes hy his company. Regarding the
report ~ Lieutenant Commander Harris
10 the Navy Department in which refer
cnce was made 20 some OF the men being
drunk, Capt Seymour stated that these
were not employees OF his company. but
OF the government