The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-12-29
BRITISH STEAMER STILL
 POUNDING ON OCEAN BAR
DRUMELZIER MAYG0 TO PIECES
 ATANY MOMENT.

Picked Crew of Eight Men to start for
 Scene This Morning-yesseI Displays
 No Signals of DIstress-Revenue Cut-
 ter stands By for Several Hours but
 is Compelled to Leave-Life Saving
 Crews Helpless.
 New York, Dec. 2S.-Still pounding on the bar of Oak Island where she struck on Christmas morning, the steamer Drumelzier lies in practically the same position as when she first went ashore. Tonight word was sent to the Sandy Hook life saving station to get ready to start for the wreck at daylight, and at that time a picked crew of eight men will set out They will use the longest lifeboat at the Hook and it will be tow ed to the scene of the wreck by pow erful tug.
 The Drumelzier lies about three-quar-. ters of a mile off the extreme end of Fire Island beach and is almost in the channel leading from the ocean into Great South Bay. All communication between Oak Island and the mainland is cut off by the ice that fills this bay with drifting foes, which are driven hither and thither by the winds, and in some places piled in huge hummoeks. The steamer is lying bow-on toward the shore. with her stern resting on the bar, showing about two feet above her nor nal draft. The seas are breaking over her port side, but the westerly gale which came up tonight showed ten- dency to beat down the high-running surf
 At 9 o'clock tonight the wrecking steamer Merritt was anchored about a mile from the stranded steamer and the 1 Merritt's surfboat could be seen lying i alongside the Drumelzier Whether she had taken off any of the steamers crew For whether she was standing by as a precaution in case the vessel went to pieces could not be determined from the shore.
 During the day the steamer hoisted no signals of distress, nor did she even use her whistle, although smoke and steam from her tunnels indicated that the fires were still going. The revenue cutter Gresham anchored near the steamer for several hours to-day. She signalled the wrecked steamer asking If assistance was desired, and received an l affirmative answer. The cutters boats, however, were unable to reach the wreck and shortly after 3 o'clock the Gresham steamed westward, evidently l bound for New York. The life-savers took this as an indication that the reve- nue cutter was short of coal and feared to face the heavy blow in that condi- tion.
 Throughout the day the crews of the I two life-saving stations were unable to render the least assistance and could only gaze helplessly across the mile or more of raging surf that separated them from the helpless crew. Now and then between the clouds of spray that crowned the breakers forms could be l distinguished on the Brumelzier.
 A heavy wind blew all day. and as might came on it's force increased until towards midnight 1t was blowing a yer itable gale. There was scant hope of l either wind or sea going down by morn .liEg. Should the vessel go to pieces dur ! ing the night, as appeared possible from the terrific manner she was pounding when darkness set in, the only possible salvation for Captain Nichol- son and his crew lies in rescue by the boats of the wrecking steamer, the lights of which were visible we'll Into the night. If the Drumelzier holds to- gether great hope is placed In the ef- j forfe which fha Sandy HootY I;fo co 1,nre will make as soon as daylight comes.