The sun., 1898-03-14
SUNKEN STEAMER IS OFF
John Ericsson Floatrd Saturday
Afternoon and
NOW At CNN)PER'S POINT n. j.
There the Boat Will l:ccrive Extcn-
sive Is.pair>-.-The Work of Light.
cniny Consumed Two Weeks.
Heavy Cost Attached.

saturday afternoon the wrrckimg APP
par,tus Of the Merritt 'hapnan Wreck
Ing Company, of New York, finished the
work Of raising the steamer John Fries
son Of the Ericsson Line which carpened
and sank in the delaware River opposite
Fifth street this city, during gale early
on the morning Of February 18th.
On Friday the work OF pumping the
water ont Of the steamer began. The
matches were battenrd down, the win
dows and doors were closed and fastened
and the lnwcrfyl pump in the steamer
Henry l.. t'Mw which had been assisting
Of tightening her were started. On Friday
afternoon 1T food title the bow nf the
steamer raised and turned with the tide
while the engine was At work pumping.
This lightcnc'I the vessel 50 hat the
tug Sclaubrl was able to tow her in
shore that the work OF pumping might
m rxpiditrd
Until Saturday at noon the pump in
the t;aw was hard at work, when the job
was finished On the flood tide Il few
hours later. the work OF raising the
steamer was complete, and she was
tioatcd. Then the steamer law and tug
Schaulcl tnwrd her t" C""per'S Point,
New Jersey, below Camden, where she
will undergo extensive repairs.
The accident to the Ericsson was due
I" the fact that she was top heavy, and
when struck by tie terrific gale which
swept across the meadows below this
city. was unable to buffet il. so the com
mlny will have the top hravimcSS re-
moved by cutting down her upper deck.
The interior Of the Ericsson presented
a scene ni wholesale destruction, every,
thing in the shape oi furnishings and
upholstery was completely destroyed
and many nf the windows were broken.
The hull was not badly damaged,
nor were the engines and boiler 50
seriously injured that they cannot Ike
repaired readily.
The John Ericsson was bull, by
Nratir Il Levy, "f Philadelphia. and
was abou, II year odd when the accident
hapwncd.
The cost Of her cn,Str,,c, ion was in
the neighln, hood m $7j,OUO. When
she lett Baltimore on the night before
the accident, she had sixty passengers
and large cargo and upon leaving
Baltimore was insured for $lU),'U.
The cargo consisted of Il large lot Of
oysters and various other merchandise.
the greater part OF which was saved with
but little damage.
The rpsc,m of the sixty passengers. it
will be remembered, was very exciting,
owing to the high wind and intensity "f
the cold. Several tugs, it will be rrincn-
hre,l. went to t.lc assistance of the ves-
sci and took tie passengers "ff. some in
their night clothes and barpfnted, the
tug Laura B. taking the rescued to Piila-
dclphia, where Agent Groves, Of the
company. provided them with clothes
AMI sent them hn:m in cabs.
Many OF the passengers lett Il" steamer
wtlmu, getting their baggage. The
baggage was afterward recovered.
Captain NJ. Il. Grace was in command
Of the steamer at the time she sank.
The work Of repairing the John Ericsson
will h begun ut once and the company
hope tn have the steamer again in service
by June y" that it may b. ready to
handle the big summer traffic on Ut"
line. The steamer Richard Willing is
now serving in IT," place "f til" John
Ericsson.
During the prgrrs. ni the work Of
raising the steamer the body of Il man
was found in the lower deck. where. it
is supposed. he went t" escape.
Ills body was brn,ght to the mn,g'n
and Coroner Chandler took charge Of il,
and his wife came and identified him ~
George II. Smith, Of Philadelphia.
It was reported that II man named
Murphy was missing. and Captain G,acc
received Il letter "i inquiry from Muir
phys wife. giving II description, which
was nearly the same ~ that Of the man
found. But uS yet II" signs Of his having
Wrislu,l when the Ericsson was sub.
merged have been discovered.
The cost nf tightening the John Fries
son was about $1,000. The Merritt
Chapman COMPANY. wrckcrs, were at
work on til" steamer about two weeks.
Small Fire.
l,y the expulsion oi an oil stove i" the
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