The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-06-29
FIGHT over RIo,s Wreck.

SAN FRANCISCO. June 21.-On
two eight-foOt slabs Of timber identf-
cally alike hang the eiaims OF two
wrecking firms TO having located the
sunken Rio de Ianeiro. These tfmbers
are the cabin name plates. which
stood one on either side of the pilot
house and which bore the name OF
the vessel in the words City OF Rio
De Janeiro." The Whitelaw Com
pany first announced the claim pub-
iiely. but has refused 20 make good by
showing the plate. The Rio Wreck
ing Company. represented by Captain
John Ross and backed By a spiritual
isiic medium who is supposed to have
discovered the location In a trance.
mas done better by the public and yes
terday placed the plate in its Office
as a proof that II had the true Ioca-
ton. And each side is skeptical az
to the story OF the other and hints
that It is easy TO pick up a BIT OF
hoatlng wreckage and show IL as
proof.
Both have entered claims IN sal.
wage ignoring the reward OF $1,000 of
Tered by the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company. which they regard as small
game Whitelaw has laid his demand
with the underwriters and the Pacific
Maii people. but il has been refused
as TOO exorbitant The Rio Companv
mas also failed TO get definite writ
ten agreement as regards salvage. but
mas an oral agreement with some Of
III underwriters which IL claims win
justify II in going ahead.
captain John Ross, who acts as
chief executive for the Rio WreckInx
company. says that Il has had the
plate for several weeks but has lust
brought Il 10 the city. presumably to
call Whiteiaw's bluff. we caught IL
hoating on the surface one day after
our graphing hooks had torn loose
from the wreck" he SAID YESTERDAY.
Il bobbed up with some wreckage a
Few hundred feet down the tide. and
undoubtedly came from the lost steam
er. We did not bring it up directly
on our hooks: in fact. we have never
managed To get up any wreckage on
the hooks direct. but we have several
articles that came up after the grap-
piers had torn loose. Among these
things is a lot OF railing. a section
OF stairway and a number of loose ar
ucles. This is only one basis for our
claim We have others. some of which
we are not giving out. Soundings
have shown an object on the bottom
OF exactly the size OF the Rio. When
We get 10 the edge OF that area. there
Is a drop OF forty feet from the sides.
Our anehor chains and graphing lines
are continually fouling in the rigging
aud In fact good deal of the rig
ging Is among the wreckage that
floats on the surface after the hooks
tear away Whenever the sea is
calm. there is a deposit OF oil above
the spot This is one of the signs
that always mark the location Of q
wreck.
IKE Rio lies in twenty-three faith
oms, and in such situation that the
current viii make diving very diffi-
cult We viii not commence serious
work until the weather is hetter-per-
haps in August-hut as soon as we
get a vessel chartered. which ought
Ia be IN few days. We will commence
diving to prove the case beyond the
shadow Of doubt The men can 90
down In thai place only at the turn
OF the tide--a few minutes a day. We
have already spent more than the re
ward Of the company. and 1t Is there
fore no object to us. The under
writer's have refused TO make an
agreement for salvage on our terms.
but one OF the most largely interested
has promised 50 per cent of all goods
saved That is enough for US to 70
ahead on.
The company referred 10 is the
Frankfort Marine Insurance Company
which Is interested in the cargo to
the extent OF si5.eeo in oar tin. lie
Rio Company Is composed Of the me.
dinn who Is supposed to hare locat.
ed the vessel; Captain Ross. Captain
J. J. sullivan and Divers 0leson and
Mclaughlin. Ross claims that the
approached him on the sub
iert. saying that her fathers spirit |
bad revealed the wreck 70 her and |
had designated him as the person 70 /
do the wreckinE. The members Of |
the company say that she Is putting /
ap the capital.
Shenandoahss Cautnlrx /