Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-10-10
Half Dozen ShipOwners Were AT.
= ter the GaditaRo. :.
MAlTsON co. THE PURCHASER
Vessel Will Be Converted Into Oil
Burning Cargo Carrier and the New
Owners Will Apply to Treasury De.
Partment for American Registry.

'he SPdliiSn steamship GauitanO
was sold at public auction at the local
shipyard at noon yesterday by Deputy
United States Marshal Miller TO sat.
isfy salvage claim for s51 900,
brought against the steamer by the
Merritt-Chapman Wrecking Company.
The vessel was bought i'm by Captain
Mattson, president of the Mattson
Navigation Company. of San Fran
cisco, Cal, for $41,65O.
When the sale opened at noon rep
resentatives of Il hair dozen American
and foreign steamship companies
were present and the bidding was live
~ from the start. After the highest
bid offered had passed the 100000
mark all Of the bidders dropped out
except Captain Mattson, Mr.. Edgar L.
Luckenback, of Brooklyn, and Mr..
George f.. Wooley, American manager
for Furness. Witty & Co The lat
ter bidder dropped out after the bids
had reached $4,000, leaving only
Captain Mattson and Mr.. Luckenbact
IN the contest. The prices offered by
the two bidders Increased gradually
until the highest bid offered by Mr..
Luckenback reached $il 500. CAPTAIN
MattsOn increased the bid $50 and Mr..
Luckenback dropped out, so the ship
was knocked down" to the former
captain Telleria, who has been here
Tor several weeks representing Messrs.
u. w. Giynn " Co., former owners of
the steamer was present at the sale
ana bid on the vessel as the represen.
tative of Juglin & Sons, of Liverpool.
All of the representatives of the
steamship companies present at the
sale, except Captain Mattson left the
city last night. Captain Mattson will
1t is understood, remain here some
time looking after the vessel.
VIII Burn Oil.
Ii was learned here last night that
the Mattson Navigation Company will
have the Gaditano remodeled and
ftted up as a freight carrier for the
Pacific coast service. and that in all
probability the work will be done at
the local shipyard. The vessel will
use coal oil instead Of soft coal for
fucl. The boilers now in her will he
removed and new boilers with oil
burners will be installed 1t is eX.
pected that the work of converting the
steamer into an oil burning cargo YES
sci will cost considerably more than
was paid for her at the sale yester.
day
The Gadtano will he the second
steamer to be converted from a coal
to oil burning steamer at the local
shipyard. One of. the Luckenback
steamers was converted here several
years ago and after loading a cargo of
OIL she sailed for Sabine Pass and has
never been heard from since.
American Registry Wanted.
While the work of converting the
&c in
shipyard her owners will apply to the
department of commerce and labor of
inc Treasury department for admit
lance for the steamer into the Ameri.
can registry. AS she now lilies the
Spanish flag the steamer could be en-
gagged in the coastwise trade here ONLY
at great cost and Inconvenience to
her owners, as she wouid have TO
clear and enter the customs house a;
every American pert she visited. Tin.
der the American flag that routine
VIII he done away with
In order to have the vessel admitted
TO the American registry. her owners
VIII have to spend three-fourths O:
her total value in remodeling or re.
pairing her al an American shnyard.
Grounded on Anchor.
while bound from Port TAMPA.
Fla, for Hamburg with a cargo of
phosphate rock. the Gaditano ground
cd On her anchor and sank in Port
tampa harbor several months ago.
She was afterwards raised by the Mer
rltt Chapman Wrecking Co and towcd
to Norfolk. where she remained sew
cral weeks. About six weeks ago the
steamer was lowed here. and after dis.
charging her cargo at pier No sh,
went to the shipyard. where she re.
ceived temporary repairs Later she
was libeled and when her owners fail.
cd to put up the required bond. Judge
Waddill. of the Federal court. ordered
her sold at public auction.