The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1905-01-10
A CHAUFFEUR
OF THE DEEP
Phelps Seamen BaIk at
the Automobile
Skipper.

Last night the water front was cleo
trifed by "a report that the big four
masted American ship Erskine NJ
Phelps, which sailed for Delaware
Breakwater with 5O74 tons OF sugar
Friday, had gone ashore on the reef
Just Waikiki OF the harbor entrance.
Color was lent to the story by the fact
that the tug Fearless was standing by
the ship at o'clock and by the prepa-
rations on board the naval tug Iro-
quois for a trip to sea. Investigation,
however, proved that although the big
vessel had dragged her anchors in the
height OF the storm yesterday after
noon, she had struck good holding
ground and was in no danger. although
her condition at one time during the
afternoon was rather per:',us. At a
late hour last night she had two an
chors out, both holding well, and was
riding easily near the bell buoy.
Although reasonably safe from the
peril of shipwreck the Phelps seems to
be in plenty of other pilikia, and men
on the water front are laying wagers
as to whether she will get away for
the Atlantic this morning, the bets be-
ing even. If she does get away 1t will
be with the third crew that she has
had since sailing first on Friday night.
When asked last night a representa-
tive of her agents said that he did not
know whether she now had on board
her third or her twentieth crew, there
bad been so many of them. But most
accounts agree on three.
At any rate the Phelps sailed Fri.
day night with a crew that had been
obtained after much trouble. Before
she had passed out of sight of the
palms along Waikiki beach she turned
about and came back to let the crew
ashore. The men landed and a second
crew was taken aboard. The Phelps
again put to sea but yesterday after
noon she again sailed back and Crew
No was put ashore. Last night part
of third crew was taken aboard and
the Fearless will go out this morning
at $3.50 with three men who will COM
plete the list.
Such is the story that Is told along
the waterfront and there is much talk
concerning the reason for the mutiny.
One of the strikers conflded to a friend
that the real reason for the refusal of
the men to work was that while Capt.
Graham is a fine chauffeur his wife
is the sailor of the family and they re-
fused to work ship with a woman
navigator. 1t is even reported that the
gallant captain tried to appease his
men by offering to give them a ride
around the deck in his green devil" OF
cruise in his new gasoline launch
but they replied that they preferred
to dance jgs on the maintop ratha,
than take the risk. 1t is also reported
that one naughty salt said that he
was going to HI fast enough with
lout having any woman steer him
there" However that may be the
Phelps now has her third crew and the
betting is even that they will bring
her back to Honolulu again.
Last night at 1915 Captain Niblaclx
took the Iroquois out to see how the
Phelps was getting along. Mr.. Gilman
of the agents and the captain of the
Dirigo, sister ship to the Phelps, ac-
companied him. on arriving at the
anchorage outside boat was lowered
and the party on the steamer had a
talk with Captain Graham. He report
ed that his ship was in no danger and
that there was no trouble aboard. He
expects to get away early this morn
ing.
Yesterday afternoon the wind blew
thirty-six miles an hour for few mo-
ments, the maximum for the storm so
far. The sea was rather high and the
bell-buoy capsized under the strain.
This is trick that the buoy has per-
formed several times before although
a heavy ballast weight has been at
tnphpl n the hot n tai