The Portland daily press., 1900-03-01
Captain France Game Ashore For
First Time Yesterday.
Declines to Discuss
Cause of Accident.
Date Of the Hearing Has Not
Yet Been Fixed.

As soon a. the three tugs and thres
lighters had reached this port from
Bostnn last Tuesday afternoon and had
gone to the scene of the wreck Of tbs
Californian they commenced their work
which will continue for several days.
The crews on thepe tugs and lighters
worked all day yesterday In raising their
plmIs to the decks of tie ship. Some of
the cargo was als) hois.ed out. This WEI
all that took place on board the disabled
steamer yesterday. During the day the
tug Confidence, one Of the three from
Boston, came up into the harbor for water
and for other small pyramids.
The Forest Queen of the CASIO Bay fleet
made an other trip to the wreck In the
forenoon, taking out Capt. Barclay. Sire
remained until noon when she returned
to the city. Capt. Barclay says that the
outlook Is very promising that the steam
er can be rats ID and he reiteratss his
statement of Tuesday that the greater
portion OF the cargo can be saved.
Returning with Capt. Barclay on the
Forest Queen came Capt. France, the vet
eran mastsr of the Californian. Up to
yesterday Capt. Francs had persisteptiy
refr sad to Gene shore since the acoident
had occurred. He wished to remain
aboard until all fears for the safety of the
passengers and members Of the crew hsd
been dispelled, and until the work had
fairly started OF removing rarts Of the
cargo. The captain desired to be on tie
steamer which he has SO long commanded
so that he could sac for him III the
methods which were being taken to re-
lieve the condition Of the ship. After he
had arrived ashore he at once went to the
off ce OF the Allan line at the foot Of
India street where he spent some time in
comforting with Manager Wainwright.
As Capt. France appeared In the Off oe
he was warmly greeted by all of the
clerks Of the line with whom he 10 ger
sonally acquainted. Later with Capt.
Barclay he went up town and visited
Consul Heating In this First National
Bank building and Informally discus sed
the plans for holding the Investigation
which ths consul has decided shall take
place on account of the deep public inter-
est manifested over the accident. Capt.
Francs state that he was perfectly willing
that an Investigation should be held and
he assured the consul that he and all of
the crew of the Californian could be
depended upon to do all that lay In their
power to assist the court In holding the
In vestigaiton and In reaching decision.
Capt. France, who was asked by re-
porter OF thu PRESS about the causes
leading up to the accident and a. to his
theory Of the grounding of the steamer,
begged to be ex oused from answering
any questions In this line. The proper
time for him to SPIT ak on this subject, he
said, would be when ths Investigation
was held and until this court of inquiry
should take place the captain said that he
would make no comments regarding the
accident.
Consul Heating says that the investiga.
ton will not be held this week and that
the date for the Investigation has not vel
been fixed.
The steamer Auoooisoo of the harp.
swell line. made another trip to the
steamer In the fore noon and took out
about 80 excursion ists.