The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-05-03
'POCAHONTAS
REF LACED
Old Point Comfort Assumes the
Schedule offsteamer Burned
Saturday Night.
UNDERWRITERS ACT FIRST
They Will Have 70 Raise Stub
merged Boat to Compute
the Loss.

Tho Virginia Navigation Company,
whose steamer Pocahontas was partially
destroyed by fire and then sank to par
tial subtnersion, did not allow It's service
to be interrupted for a day.
The New York, Philadelphia and Nor
folk steamer Old Point Comfort arrived
hero Sunday night and made the regular
trip to Norfolk on the schedule Of tho
Pocahontas yesterday. leaving hero ut
a.. NJ.
The Old Point Comfort. sidc-wheelcr,
with something less than the capacity
has been run on the Norfolk and Cape
Charles route until she was replaced BY
the Pennsylvania, going out of commits
sion Sunday, Just in time for tho use of
the Virginia Navigation Company The
Old loolnl Comfort was under considera
ton by the company to replace tho Poca-
hontas while the latter was being locked
and overhnuled, and the Navigation Com
pany had an option of $50 days on her.
The Old Point will be run regularly on
the Pocahontas schedule until further
notice.
PARTIALLY EMERGED.
The Pocahontas lies partially sub
merged Just off her dock, where she sank
Saturday. night after she had had her
hold SO flooded with water that the oren
ports under the side beams received more
water, and she settled until her hull
rested on the bottom. The hurricane deck
and upper works are above water and the
hull Is listed slightly. The flames were
confined chiefly to the central portion Of
~, Z ,a,, MI
the fire began, and so fierce was the heat
thatno one could go below to close them,
Hence when the water poured into the
vessel by the firemen caused her to settle
to that level these open ports let In wa
ter also and caused her to sink. The
origin of the fire is not positively known
and probab bly, never will be. When first
discovered the fire was Just within the
doorway of the wooden superstructure
surrounding the engines and machinery,
and 1t spread with great rapidity.
NO CONTRACT YET.
1t was reported yesterday that the
Merritt Wrccking Company, OF New
York and Norfolk had secured the con-
tract for raising the sunken vessel, and
even the figures was named in the re-
port A. representative of the company
stated yesterday to a reporter that he
knew nothing of the letting of such a
contract, and believed it premature He
did say however,, that the Merritt Com
pany hadfaa representative here yester-
day, as did the underwriters Interested
1t would be impossible for any wrecking
corpora ton or firm to make an intelli-
gent contract without first examining
the situation and condition of the vessel
and that is presumed to be the business
here at this time of the Merritt repr>~
sentative. OF course, the insurance peo-
pie cannot estimate the loss on the YES
sci until she is raised and placed In dry
dock, and the cost of raising her Will
be added TO the amount of TIE loss. The
underwriters state that there was $1,000
insurance on the Pocahontas, but de.
cline TO state with what companies ii
was placed.
There was but one package of freight
aboard the vessel when she was burned,
to Wilson's Landing Saturday and left |
aboard to be delivered there on the re-
turn trip.
DEPARTMENT. DID WELL.
Mr.. Barber. a representative of the
Company stated yesterday that the fire
department had, In his opinion, done very
efficient work, and that the work OF the
police under Captain Whitlock in keep !
ing back the crowd from danger was /
also worthy Of commentator, 1t was
the first experience OF the firemen In
fighting fire aboard ship. and they dit
their work intellgentIy and well.
Captain Whitlock and his men did cx-
cellcnt service. Captain Whitlock was
present throughout the period.
1t is estimated that the work Of raising |
the Pocahontas and installing her in a
dry-dock for repairs will cost from three
thousand to four thousand dollars. 1t is
not believed that the vessels hull is
damaged at all. and that her decks are
not seriously burned,
Letters Of coincidence poured in ycster-
day from all over the country, address,