Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-22
LAST OF THE WYAN0KE.
Work Of Removing the Wreck
Finished Yesterday.
IN THE JAMES TWO YEARS
Unsuccessful Attempts Made to Raise the
Steamer by the Ai1 Bag Proc 30.
How the Ship Was m.
H|.. Sunk. 49,.

The last vestige of the wreck of the
Old Dominion steamer Wyanoke. which
was sunk in James river off the Casino
on the morning of April IS. 1886. has
been removed from its muddy berth.
Yesterday afternoon shortly after =
O'Clock the channel was dredged for the
last time, and after taking number
of soundings. Government Inspector w.
j. Moore declared the terms of the con-
tract satisfactorily complied with.
The Wyanoke settled i'll the centre Of
the channel of the river and was a
great obstruction to navigation Both
of her masts projected above the water
several feet. thus marking the places
where the Inflated ship lay. The st. am
er went down in the territory owned by
the United States government. and
hence it was the duty OF the govern
ment to clear the channel of the wreck
Several months after the sh:a was
lost wreckers throughout the Country
were invited to submit bids for rcmov-
ing the old Ship A party of Philadel-
phlanS, though not practical wreckers
conceived the idea that the Vyyanoke
could be raised BY the air bag pro-
cess. With this idea in view they sub
mitted bid of SIS, 999 for removing the
wreck, calculating that the steamer
with her cargo. when tioated, would be
worth in the neighborhood OF $4,000
prominent among the Philadeiphians
was Judge j. w. Robinson. He 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 of hard
work. an unsuccessful attempt was
made to raise the old Side-Wheeler
Work was then practically suspended
I'll late In the fall, when another at
tempt was made to float the vessel.
For three days and nights air was fore
ed In the sacks placed in the hull of
the ship. but the vessel did not bulge
Then the contract was abandoned
Suit was brought by the divers and 9TH
err workInen to recover their earnings,
and in consequence the wrecking tug
owned by the Philadelphians was sold
at public auction. IT is said the con-
tractors lost between $4,000 and $40 900
After the contract with the Philadel-
phians was cancelled the government
engaged Mr.. c. w. johnson, a practical
wrecker of New York. to remove the
Wyanoke at the original contract price.
MT johnson came; here February 16
M NIL crew ", Of 5n Mr sG rwas
OF Oh, p.o s,as continued from day 10 ICY
IN he latter part Of Narch, ~ aa;n.r
snn.ine from $50 toa1.5oo pouhu,s Side.
.o,,I down. After demollsnins .,id Of
Wheeler the wree ,s'a ni " out placed
~, a barge and hauled ttetl. SO
ths shipyard. considerable - was
the ,aja with the work, aho - ~.
CONNECTED several weeks
contract time. attending thu
in of the Wynnoke are sun -,
81, tba minds Of the reaue, ,,hae,.
n,;ly Press. She was and Ne,
- n,ifla betweenf Richm"hu ~, fraissh
York, carrying passens; ~ the mornin
- Vas about 3 o'clock m Tic ,aht NJ IN
II tha wyanoke hove In sign. 49, ~. ~
Whe" sba"Tas bound from Hic ~
~. Nav York. captain Jenny ~ +,
lot heel Two lights Deailieu ,n,ni
harbor-one from the clu az me piers
and the o, N captain Jenny peeal
.n s nv the lights. thinki.s r;v
cotll ,ia vas further down ,he :. "
14Ihan he realized his mis.ahe aan-
too late. to steer clear o. sh Nd into
10y. .o and the steamer crasilee, ~, INC the
Wa. tin.s prov, but the men on . ..,
W alSp Ger. cool. 1t soon pecol,,
luMa mat the Wyanoke was 1,,
pan,ander Sands. OF ths ~ q -,
caiied his men to the MAJ. We're TT:
a jiffy all the pa is,Iing vessel. 7
1errsu nnke settled. How iiians
lne lost will never pc h"o stir,s
'.roher has been variousis r.scny,
W.T. only eleven bodies We peol
and all but one Weie ,,e az the o
TN W. ~ the Old Dominion ~
stean r,nany. and was the sla s :,
s 81 the vesse, bearing the ''
une-Old Dominion. ON of the
While lying at ,o the h Sa1,' her : mas
the Same time last sunni.
acciosn Mary Curtis, trequs;,.
scn .h;s port, struck the ,,nnE
a. 1t off near the te amer mer c
,nonths later q tramp
away .In Jenny, the master o. AZ ~
Captain ms N the city several ga
s No vas tsss, ss is s9
accident, IT, a nest Shippers that eve
ed wheel who remove
vn me VIII ship it Of to it r as o.
as i IS; a s;s p1opsr tS None Of {,
chinery can be u sa.a
cd BY the dynamite.