The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-06-28
STEAMER ALICIA
WILL BE SAVED
EXPERIENCES OF wREcKERs Al
SPANISH VESSEL ASHORE
ON AJAX REEF, SOUTH
OF MIAMI.

aground on Ajax Reef, and looking
Ike she had been through a fire or
had herself been a wreck. the famous
filibustering tug Three Friends, Cap
tain Harry Fozzard, came into port
yesterday afternoon for the first time
and tied up at the Terminal Dock.
These have been seven eVentful
weeks for u.s." said member of the
crew this morning, in speaking OF
the experiences OF the noted craft and
her crew at the wreck. Just look al
the old craft. She looks like she has
been through a fire. and indeed she
has, though not the sort CT fire one
usually encounters, but this is moth
ing to what her men have endured.
We left jacksonville with a crew OF
thirty-seven men; to-day we have less
than half that number. the others haV-
ing gone home sick. half blind anu
otherwise distressed"
Then followed the details of some OF
the experiences. 1t seems that the
hold of the Alicia contains a great
amount of potash and other chemicals.
These mixing with the water caused a
vapor. or fume, to arise that parcled
and peeled the paint on the tug from
water line to smokestack like ii had
been under the fame OF a painter
burning pot. Even the names on
the pilot house are so destroyed as TO
be hardly observable. The same
fumes aneeted the eyes of the men
and many Of them can hardly see.
Two weeks ago Alex Douglas, mate OF
the tug, was taken 70 Jacksonville IN
semi-bhnd condition. Dolphus VIII
son. first assistant engineer. also went
back to Jacksonville IN Ike condition
as did other members OF the crew
Last night Captain Fozzard and Chiei
Engineer James lance returned 70
their home for a few days, the latter
suffering with his eyes to such an ex-
tent that life Is miserable TO him. Cap
tain Fozzard Is In better shape though
q few weeks ago he went into the hold
of the Alicia and was overcome by
the fumes arising from the water and
had a close call TO death.
Not only did the vapor affect the
boat and the men. but all the brass
and silver aboard the boat Is as black
as puter. Even the money IN the
pockets Of the crew Is black and tar
nished. In connection with this some
of the men tell an amusing story. Last
tight several Of them came up town
To buy tobacco and some incidentally
To get "smile" or two, but their
money was no good. II vas too black
and no one would take 1t, fearing that
.it was counterfeit, and as one OF them
remarked. 1T was the first time IN
their lives that they could not spend
good American money. This morn
ing there was a general securing and
polishing Of dimes, quarters and dol
lars, and when they make another trip
tonight they expect no difficulty n
having il accepted.
And talk about flies" said another
of the crew. why. a COW pen never
had as many Of the pesky critters
around it as we have had aboard the
last few weeks. The potash didn't al.
feet them; they seemed to thrive on
It and made our lives miserable. And
mosquitoes. Well, I understand you
have had some In Miami. but dom.
compare to the number TO what VIC
have had. We were ten miles or more
from land but they found us and go'
in their work. TOO. but we are goln2
hack ana are going to get that old
hulk of the rock and make a new
craft of her. Captain Broward and
Captain Fozzord don't know the word
fail, and that Spaniard viii yet ny
the American flag"
Yes, the Alicia viii be saved. or al
least this is the opinion Of the two
shippers and the crew working on her
The forward compartments are fires
of water and for some time the wors
OF relieving the after compartments
has been on, but so far the pumps havs
failed to lower II and the diver has
been unable to find the leak. This j:
because he cannot get under the SAIL
and 10 the place where the water evi
IDENTIFY flows In, ana finding that there
is no possibility of reaching il o.
pumping out the compartment Captair
Fozxard has decided upon a new move
and has gone TO Jacksonville fer th'
purpose of securing an air pump anC
air bags. The pump will be connecte,
! with the compartment which viii b
made air tight on deck and air pump
ed into the space, or against the water
thus forcing it bac..-. At the same
time the air bags will be placed abou
the hull to tighten 1t up as the waite
Iecedes.
The Alicia is able to carry steam II
her boilers and has assisted the tug:
considerably. They have also snc
ceedea in moving the wreck abou
twenty-five feet. This was done By
the two tugs jumping her with haw
serS as big as a mans head. and b,
the use of anchors run out astern anS
heaved on by. the steam wenche.
aboard the Alicia, but owing to thu
water in the after hold the ship set
tied as fast as moved. SO that pro
cedure has been abandoned.
Yesterday theA tugs and the wreck
ing barge Salvor succeeded in remoy
ing the last part Of the steel draw
hriGge consigned to the Cuban Contra
railroad at Sagua La Grande. ant
loading II aboard barge. after which
the tug Dewey, Montcaim Browars
commanding. took 1t IN tow for it,
destination. According to the crew
the officials OF the railroad promised
to pay Captain Broward the sum O
ten thousand dollars if he would ge
the material from the hold and deliyel
Il at Sagua La GRANGE, "ard don't yoI
forget the Cap will get it. too. or els
the railroad don't get the bridge. SAIL
one of them
Captain Fozzard and Engineer La
NEE, the latter if sufficiently recoy
cred. will return here Monday from
tho mir onr