The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-21
MAY HAVE BEEN A WRECK.
CHATTAHoOCHEE PASSED WRECK
AGE NEAR HAT'TERAs.

| Morning-Some of the Packages
Contained Tin Cans. Apparently o;
OiI-The ChattahoOchee Reached
Port in Good shape Last Night
Having Had Only IA Light Touch
From the storm and Having Laid
to About Five Hours on Cape Hem
ry-The Texas still at sea, But En-
pectcd To-day.
The steamship Chattahoochee arrived
last night at o'clock from Boston and
New York, twelve hours overdue.
The experience of the ChattahoOchee with
the storm was a very light one so light,
in fact, that Capt Lewis does not con-
slider that what he saw of the West India
hurricane could be fairly considered a
storm.
The Chattahoochee left Boston Wednes-
day morning, arrived the same night at
New York and left there at $50 o'clock
Thursday afternoon. Everything went
smoothly until off Cape Henry Friday
night, when heavy seas and southeast
winds were encountered. Capt Lewis sim
ply hove to and lay with head to the storm
four or five hours. He was well aware
of the progress which the storm had been
making up to the time he left New York,
and, though the portion which he encoun-
tered was not very severe, he had no
desire TO reach Cape Hatteras in the night.
1.-THE seas were pretty heavy said Capt
Lewis, land there was considerable wind.
1 would hardly call it a storm, though.
The seas were rough enough to shake the
passengers up bit and make some of
them sick, but then any ordinary heavy
sea will do that"
The ChaHahOochee passed Hatteras at
noon Saturday. About fifty miles to the
north a large quantity of wreckage was
encountered, as many as a hundred pack
ages perhaps being seen floating in the
sea. So far as Capt. Lewis could judge
by appearances most of these package
were Of similar character Some had
their ends torn off, showing the ends of
large tin cans from which il was thought
likely that the packages contained oil
Some of the wreckage came quite close
to the ship and some of the men on
board said that they made out the name
"DeveauX" on some of the packages.
We encountered a considerable guam
tity of this wreckage between Body Isl
and and Hatteras," said Capt. Lewis "and
! would give a good deal TO know where
it came from. The greater part was of
boxes, containing what appeared to be cans
of oil, but there was other wreckage be
sides, including a piece of a ships rail-"
Capt. Lewis kept a sharp lookout on the
way down, but encountered no further
signs of wreck. The wTeckage which
he saw. however, indicated pretty clearly
that some vessel had suffered serious dam
age in the storm, Capt. Lewis thought
ii possible that the wreckage might have
come from some trading vessel bound for
Havana, mostly likely, or some other port
to The southwark.
The safe arrival of the Chattahoochee
after a comparatively easy voyage would
seem TO indicate that danger to the coast
wise vessels from the West India storm is
at an end. The Birmingham left Newport
News yesterday morning, and is expected
TO arrive here tonight or Tomorrow AS
the birmingham is a STOW sailor she is
always given an ample time allowance.
She is said to be the only passenger vessel
on the coast, however. which does not ron
and for this reason, who do not boast of
their sailing qualities prefer her to the
faster vessels.
The Kansas City IS being loaded pre-
paratory 10 going out this afternoon Capt.
Fisher reported everything in shipshape
yesterday, and no effects from the storm
visible. First officer Smith, who got a Sc
we're fan on deck during the storm, is up
and about but is st.n suffering from a
soreness in the side.
Capt. Fisher had a narrow escape him
self from being seriously hurt by a fan.
When notified that fire had made its APP
pearance in the after cOmpauionWay early
Friday morning he Immediately left his
place in the pilot house and started for
the scene of the fire. The storm was at
its hight, and the deck was not the safest
place IN the world. In his haste to reach
the fire he was not as careful of his
footing as he might have been. and sud
4. r.n...
he came down on his shoulders with a
tremendous thump, being thrown some
distance his head narrowly missing an
IRON cleat.
The storm was the severest have
ever struck for such a length of time"
said Capt Fisher in discussing his expe-
riences with Capt. Lewis at the De Soto
last night. The wind was about as Sc
we're as l have ever seen. 1t would take
the caps off the waves almost half way
and throw them over the ship"
The storm has broken the Ocean Steam
ship Conpany's sailing schedule all to
pieces and the schedule will have to be
entirely revised for ali the Sorts. The
Kansas City was due 10 sail for New York
Saturday SHIT. Instead she will so out
this afternoon on he Birmiugham's time.
The birmingham. which was scheduled 10
sail to-day. viii hardly reach port before
to-nisnt on tomorrow. and VIII hardly be
able TO sail before Wednesday The Taua-
hassoe, which was to sail from here Tues
Gay has not yet left New York. aud the
city Of Macon, which Is also at New York.
VII hardly get back here in time 10 sail
Thursday as advertised The Augusta,
which is expected 20 reach New York this
morning may get back in time TO leave on
her regular sailing time Saturday.
The schedule of the Merchants and Min
ors' tine is similarly disarranged The
Texas, which is scheduled to leave Savan-
nah to-day, has net yet arrived from Bal
tim0re 3nd some anxiety is felt as TO her
non-arrval. Unless she has suffered some
accident She viii doubtless come in To-
day.