New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-10
GATE CITY STILL ASHORE
THE SAVANNAH LINER NOT YET
FLOATED.

At late hour last night IT reported that
| the steamer Gate City, of the Savannah Line.
! bound to Boston. which grounded on the Great
| South Beach, Long Island, in dense fog at
about O'Clock Thursday night, was still ashore.
J She lies in easy position and is in good con-
! dition. Her head is up toward the beach, and
| when the tide is out there Is little water about
! her stern. She grounded while under almost
! full speed having Overrun her reckoning
The life savers Of the local station knew for
half hour before the vessel struck that there
was work ahead, for the boom OF the steam
ships signals was distinctly heard the main
land. The signal lights the shore could not
be seen by those on the steamer. Captain Gil
bert Seaman and a of life went to
the beach early and made preparations to board
the vessel the signals told that as
sistance was needed. A succession of continuous
blasts signfed that the vessel in distress
Captain Seaman left two men patrol to
cover the beach for other ships, and with five
manned and launched lifeboat. The fog
was dense and the was running rough, but
the life savers We're able to board the imperilled
craft.
Captain Googns decided to stand by his ship
but asked the life savers to take the women
passengers ashore. They were Mrs. Louisa NJ
Ryals and Miss Elizabeth c. Ryals. of Orange
Lake Fla, and Josephine Sullivan. the stew
ardess. The women were taken to the life saw
ing station, where they dried their clothes and
made comfortable for the night. They
came to New-York yesterday morning
Captain Seaman returned to the ship and
found that the rising tide carrying her over
the outer bar. Nothing could be done to check
her, and the Gate City slipped over the outer
bar and brought up the inner bar about
ships length from the beach.
Captain Seaman advised Captain Googins to
be ready to get his crew and passengers off in
case of emergency, there a chance of
rough weather, and he left on the boat the ship
end tackle of the breeches buoy. to be used In
case 1t should be impossible to get the crew and
passengers off in the boats Later the line was
rugged and anchored and the buoy sent out.
Word was sent to the owners of the Gate
City as soon as the women were landed. After
the breeches buoy was rugged the Gate City's
boatswain entered IL and rode safety to the
beach to send particulars to the owners. Cap
tain Seaman and his crew reinforced at
daybreak by the Portunk and Forge River
crews. under Captains Gidersleeve and
Ketcham. The fog was 50 thick that at times
it was impossible to see the ship from the
shore.
The wrecking steamer William F. Chapman
arrived alongside CT the wreck yesterday morn
ing and preparations at once begun to
float the steamship. 1t was expected tnLt much
of her cargo Of three thousand bales OF cotton
would have to be taken out before ,he could he
noated.
Captain Googfus decided 10 permit :he under
cooks, stewards and smoking steward to
go ashore in the breeches buoy, but he insisted
that the sailors must stay on board The crew
numbered forty-seVen, and eighteen in nil were
taken Off
The steamer is stranded close TO where the big
German ship Geestemunde, bound from Antwerp
TO New-YOrk went ashore some years ago To
the eastward of where she lies the steamer
Olivet, Of Sunderland. wrecked and then
the British bark Charlie Hickman was stranded
with loss of life. The big steamer Persian Mon
arch. now the May Flint also stranded there
during the night of December 2 1894.
At the office of the Savannah Line in this city
it was SAID yesterday afternoon that nothing
further had been heard from the Gate City, and
that Superintendent lie Fevre had gone down to
Long Island At the office it said that the
passengers would be sent to Boston by rail.