Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-06-16
MAY SEEN THE KERR
SCHOONER ECLIPSE
AMONG POSSIBILITIES
Could Not Tow Burning Ship, But
Might Put Prize Grew Aboard To
Bring Her To
Port.

waterfront TINS morning TO the erect
that the gasoline schooner Eclipse. pur.
chased at auction on Saturday last from
the Hawaiian Navigation Company for
$1,000 by Won Hamm Young Co., was
to be sent in search OF the British ship
Fannie Kerr which was abandoned at
sea on May 80. with her cargo of coal
afire,
Archibald Young of Won Hamm.
Young Company refused to have any.
thing to say this morning in regard to
what was going to be done with the
Eclipse. He neither denied nor affirm.
ed the rumor in connection with the
Fannie Kerr.
The impression among the more con.
sentative shipping men is that the
story is only one of the yarns so likely
to grow out of the fact that a valu-
able vessel has been abandoned at sea
and there is possibility of someone
going after her and securing a big
prize. In the first place the Eclipse,
even IL she found the Fannie Kerr. lie
not strong enough to tow her to port
and the probabilities, according to the
first stories told by the captain and
crew of the deserted vessel. are that a
prize crew would be unable to live
aboard the Kerr to work her way to
any port It may be, however, that
those who are back of the Eclipse
scheme. II there Is indeed a plan to
send the Eclipse to find the burning
vessel. are satisfied that the ship is not
in as bad condition as the stories OF
Captain Gibbons and his men might
lead the general public to suppose.
II is thought by many on the water.
front that the Fannie Kerr was aban.
doned before II was absolutely neces-
sary and that II the crew had staid by
her little longer they would have
| found it possible to work her to some
port. With favorable winds she could
easily have made Kauai in a week from
where she was abandoned, or she could
have made Laysan Island.
There have been many ships which
have gone into port with their cargoes
Of coal afire and there have been very
few instances where vessel was aban.
doned a couple Of days after the fire
was discovered. After the explosions
on the morning when the crew left the
Fannie Kerr the worst danger was over
for many days. according to expert
enced salts on the waterfront. II this
be the case there is still possibility
that a crew could live aboard the YES
sci and the Eclipse, though she would
be powerless to tow the large ship to
port, might put a prize crew aboard to
work her and let the Fannie Kerr tow
her. This plan is considered feasible
by those who are discussing the matter
and there is no reason why 1t could
not be carried out, providing the Kerr
is afioat and men could live on her
decks.
II the Fannie Kerr had been aban.
doned a thousand miles from San
Francisco, instead OF from Honolulu
there would have been a lively race be-
tween half a dozen tugs and small
steamers to see which would get to hei
first. Honolulu. say the waterfronters
who have experience but no cash, has
bad case of cold feet as far as this
Fannie Kerr affair is concerned. The
inter-island steamship companies have
several steamers which they coulC
spare for the purpose. The Hanalei
one of the most powerful of the fleet
is not doing anything. Ship owners
and ship masters here deem 1t a shame
that a splendid piece of property like
the Fannie Kerr shonld be allowed Il
be at the mercy OF the elements, Thu
fire in her coal is likely to burn fo
several months and she is more thar
likely to remain afioat indefinitely.
Captain Townsend of the Eclipse
knew nothing OF the plans OF the new
owners when questioned this morning