The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-22
THE LAST OF THE
OLD WYAN0KE.
Blown TO Pieces and Taken in Bits
From the Channel.
LOSSOF ORIGINAL CONTRACTORS
The Air.Bag Process for Raising Her
Proved "a Failure-Thc Manner of
Her Sinking Recalled and the
Accident Again Described.

NEWPORT NEWS, VA, May a.-Spe-
cial. The last vestige Of the wreck Of the
ola Dominion steamer Wyanoke. which
sunk IN James river or the Casino on the
morning OF April Is 1886. has been remov-
cd from its muddy berth This afternoon
shortly after o'clock the channel was
dredged for the last time and after taking
a humber OF soundings Government In
spector w. j. Moore declared the terms
OF the contract satisfactorily complied
with.
The Wyanoke settled in the centre OF
the channel OF the river and was great
obstruction TO navigation. Both OF her
rasts projected above the water several
feet. thus marking the place where the
Inflated ship lay. The steamer went
down I'm the territory owned by the Unit
ed States government and hence II was
the duty Of the government TO clear the
channel Of the wreck. Several months
after the ship was lost wreckers through
out the country were invited 20 submit
bids for removing the Old ship.
AIR BAG PROCESS
4 party of Philadelphians, though not
practical wreckers, conceived the IDEA
that the Wyanoke could be raised by
the air bag process. with this idea in
view they submitted a bid Of Sl5.sss for
removing the wreck. calculating that the
steamer with her cargo. when Heated
would be worth in the neighborhood OF
$25 900. Prominent among these Phladel-
phians was Judge J. w Robinson. lie
came here in March OF last year with a
party of wreckers and began the Work
Of raising the Wyanoke.
Late In the summer, after many months
was made TO raise the old side-wheeler.
Work was then practically suspended TIN
late I'm the fall, when another attempt
was made to float the vessel For three
DAYS and nights air was forced in the
sacks placed in the hull OF the snip out
the vessel did not bulge
Then the contract was abandoned. sun
was brought by the divers and others
workmen to recover their earnings and
in consequence the wrecking tug owned
By the Philadelphians was sold at pubic
auction II is said the contractors los'
between Sc Oro and $1,000.
DYNAMITE THE PLAN.
After the contract with the Philadel-
phians was Cancelled the government en-
gagged Mr. c. w. Johnson, practical
wrecker Of New York TO remove the
WvanoIce at the original contract price
Mr.. Johnson came here February l6th'
with a. crew OF wreckers. bringing with
him six tons OF dynamite and the WoTk
Of blowing up tho ship was commenced.
This was continued from day 10 day uil
the latter part OF March, charges rang
ing from $50 10 100 pounds being put
down. After demolishing the side-wneel-
or the wreckers, with the aid OF der
rick. lifted the pieces out, placed them
n shin
ward. Considerable progress was made
with the work and It was completed sew
e-al weeks ahead of the contract time.
The sinking Of the Wyanoke Is still
fresh I'm the minds Of the readers Of The
Times. She was a side-wheel steamer
and piled between Richmond ana New
York. carrying passengers and freight.
SINKING OF THE SHIP.
1t was about o'clock in the morning
when the Wyanoke hove in sight OF this
port. She was bound from Richmond 10
New York, Captain Jenny was at the
cheel. Two lights beamed in the har-
mor-one from the cruiser Columbia and
the other from one Of the piers at the
shipyard.
CAPTAIN Jenny became confused by the
lights. thinking the Columbia was farth-
er down the river. when he realized
the mistake II was too late TO steer clear
of the man-of-war and the steamer
crashed into the warship's PROV which
stove a hole in her bow.
There was wild excitement on board
the Wyanoke, but the men on the Co
umbia were cool. IL soon became ap-
parent that the Wyanoke was sinking
Commander Sands, Of the Columbia, call
ed his men TO the main deck and in a
fifty nearly all of the passengers were
transferred from the sinking vessel
Then the Wyanoke settled. How many
lives were lost will never be known. The
number has been variously estimated
but only eleven bodies were recovered
and al hrt one were colored poodle.