Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-02-10
HARD AND FAST.
Steamer GreCian Ashore Five
Miles from Halifax.
Backed OHIO "Ho|y Stone" While
Steering OFF from Lard.
All Hands Safc-Chances of Saving
Ship Are Small.

/ from Liverpool via ST John. n. f., ran
ashore, five miles from this city, at
| 3 o'clock. this morning, and now lies
on the rocks on the western shore full
| of water. The steamer had 800 tons
of general cargo and one passenger.
No lives were lost The Grecian left
Liverpool, Jan. 81 and after IA stormy
passage reached st. Johns, where a
quantity Of cargo was discharged. The
steamer left st. Johns, Thursday even
ing, and fine weather was experienced
until off this port, at 2.3O O'Clock, this
morning. The steamer made Chebucto
Head where she was sighted by pilot
boat No. 1, and Pilot William FIem-
ming boarded her.
The weather was then clear and the
harbor lights were plainly visible. The
steamer was proceeding along at or
binary speed when a thick snow squall
set in and everything was obliterated
from view. After she had gone about
two miles, the engines were stopped,
and sounding taken. The steamer was
then in very deep water. She started
ahead and after covering about a mile
the man on the lookout shouted land
ahead"
| hC CiiS5lHtS WCIe QulChiy leNcIScl
and the steamer was sent full speed
astern. She had not gone more than
| 30 yards when the stern crashed
against a monster rock, known as the
| Holy Stone" A great hole was torn
| in the steamers stern and she re-
| bounded forward and went on another
bed of jagged rocks, which ripped up
several of the plates on her bottom.
, The steamer held fast here and she
began TO make water rapidly fore and
| aft.
| There was no wind blowing at the
| time and the sea was quite calm. The
steamer made water so fast that the
boats We're quickly swung from the da-
Wits, and the captain and crew made
hasty preparations to leave the
steamer which they thought would roll
over.
When the steamer struck neither the
captain nor the pilot knew where they
We're.
Signals of distress were at once sent
up, and the rockets attracted the at
tention of the life saving crew at
Devils Island and Herring Cove Cap
tain German and crew of Herring Cove
were the first to reach the scene and
they took off the only passenger, Mr..
Blair of st. Johns, N. F.
The life saving crews remained
alongside of the steamer in readiness
to take off the captain and crew in case
that occasion arose.
The captain and crew, however de-
cided to stand by the steamer and when
the weather cleared it was found that
she was lying broadside with the shore
with a slight list to port. She not
more than 80 yards from the shore in
about Is feet of water. The place
where the steamer struck is one of the
most dangerous on the coast, a great
cliff rock overhanging the beach,
and running out to quite depth from
the shore.
The military authorities are construct
ing an immense fort to be known as
'Spion Kop" just up over the hill from
where the steamer lies. 1t was fortunate
that the weather was calm at the time,
or otherwise not soul on board would
probably not been able to make the
shore, as when a sea is running great
breakers are rolling over the rocks.
There is II feet of water in the fore hold
and IS feet in the after hold.
The engine room which is protected by
water tight compartments, is still dry
and the ship has full head of steam on.
When word reached the city, steam light
ers and tugs were quickly dispatched to
the scene, with divers and wrecking gear.
1t was decided at once to take the car
go out before getting her off. Divers were
sent into the holds and by o'clock over
100 tons of the cargo had been removed
and put into lighters. The steamers an
chors were lowered on the starboard side
with long cables attached SO as to keep
her in position.
Ten powerful pumps from the dry dock
have been sent down, and they are now
being placed in position. 1t is impossible
| to ascertain the extent of the injuries
that the steamer has sustained as the
divers have not yet examined her bottom
The captain hopes, however, to get the
divers to patch her up and with the all
of the powerful pumps and her own
steam take her to a place where she can
be run ashore on q beach with sandy
bottom.
The captain positively declined to make
any statement and he also instructed the
pilot not to say a word.
The captain ordered the representatives
of the press who boarded the steamer, to
go ashore. and as there was no alterna-
tive they had to comply with his orders
Capt. Harrison is a well-known navigat
or and he has been long time in the
employ of the Allans. 1t was he VINO
brought out to America Lord Dunraven's
Valkyrie ILL to race for the Americas
cup. Those who saw the position of the
steamer hold out but little hope of her
coming off the rocks. If the wind comes
in from the southeast she will be
smashed to pieces. The wind is now
north and her position is sheltered.
The pumps will be in position in the
morning and at high tide an attempt will
be made to get her off the rocks.
Tie Grecian is a steamer of 2211 tons
net. 1881 gross, and is % years old. She
was built by Doxford & Sons at Sunder-
land.
1t was stated, tonight, that the COM
passes were out of order, but this cannot
be verified. She was over a mile out Oe
the regular channel. which is marked b.
buoys and lights. and seafaring men can
not understand how she got in such a pO-
sition so soon after having taken bear
ings from Chebucto Heads
The cargo consists principally of whis-
key and steel billets goods. dry goods
and oranges
The Grecian was the steamer that tow
ed the ship Cromartyshire into Halifax
three years ago with the surviving pas
sengers from the Inflated French liner
La Bourgogne.