Evening journal., 1900-11-26
Margaret Jones, Tramp, Lies
High and DryOn Sandy
Beach
NATE STEERED THE SHIP
BY THE WRONG LIGHT
Much Work and Several High Tides
Will.be Necessary 10 Clear
Her

Ocean City. Nd, Nov. 26.-The big
British steamship Margaret Jones, in
command Of Captain Thomas Thomas,
from Cardiff, Wales. for the Delaware
Breakwater, stranded early yesterday
morning on the Maryland coast. about
FIVE miles north of Ocean City. and
lies high and fast on the land within
100 yards of the Isle OF Wight Life
saving Station.
She struck, while running at full
speed and plowed a furrow through
the sand twenty feet In length. Then
she stuck fast. with only item feet OF
water beneath her stern, and so far up
on the beach that visitors are walking
TO her bow at low tide.
The ship is under charter to load an
.outward-bound cargo OF grain at
Philadelphia for European account
STEERING WAS DIFFICULT.
She was on her return trip from
Cardiff, Wales, twenty-four days out.
mate and twenty-three men COM
posed the crew. AT dark on Saturday
the steamer arrived about FIVE miles
south OF Ocean City, abreast North
Beach Station. There was dense fog,
the night was pitch dark and strong
gale was blowing from the east. MAX
ing 1t difficult to steer with any degree
Of correctness. Captain Thomas turn
ed In at midnight, leaving the ship in
charge OF the mate About an hour
later the light OF Fenwick Island
Lighthouse was made out In the dis
tance about six miles away.
|sTEERED BY THE WRONG LIGHT.
The steamer was then going about
twelve knots an hour in a northwest
erly direction Mistaking the Fenwick
Island light for that of an approach
ing steamer, the mate ordered the
course Of the Margaret Jones altered,
so as to steer to the port of the sup
posed steamer. thus changing the di-
rection straight to the west, and
strandng the big vessel abreast of Isle
of Wight Station a few minutes later.
Captain John Jones, of Isle of Wight
Station, with Captain Long, Of Fen
wick's, and Captain Dunton, Of Ocean
City, and crews, boarded the vessel
and rendered what assistance they
could
The life savers located the vessel al
most as soon as she struck, Patrolmen
South and Truitt, of the Isle OF Wight
Station, being near the ship when she
came ashore.
RACE BETWEEN SWIFT TUGS.
There was race between the tugs
North America and the Spartan, when
the news of the disaster was learned,
from the Delaware Breakwater to the
scene of the wreck The North Amer
lea got under way first at the Break
water with about an hours advance OF
the local wreckers. with the Spartan.
Both arrived at the stranded vessel at
about the same time. Both tugs we're
engaged by Captain Thomas.
The tug Sommers Smith started to
the vessels assistance some time af-
terward
SLOW WORK TO RELEASE THE
SHIP.
There are no shoals at Isle of Wight,
but the water deepens quickly from
the shore. which is an advantage to
the wreckers, because of no bars being
in their way. The vessel struck at low
tide. and as the water rose yesterday
morning she gradually worked her
way further up the beach.
Hundreds OF visitors came from all
directions to see the craft.
It will be necessary to lay heavy an
chors and run out big hawsers to the
steamer and heave her Off. inch by
inch, into deeper water before the
tugs can drag her entirely clear of the
shore. It will. no doubt, take several
/ tides to float her.
SHE IS AN OCEAN TRAMP.
The Margaret Jones is an ordinary
type of cargo carriers, known as
"ocean tramp" craft, and is owned by
W. II. & II. T. Jones. of Wales, and
was built in 1898.
She is SOC feet long, Al feet beam.
has % feet depth of hold, and is a steel
craft, with triple expansion engines.
Peter Wright & Sons, of Philadel-
phia, are her agents.
| Steamer Grounded Three Times