Evening star., 1907-08-24
STEAMER NORFOLK HERE.
Vessel Released From Mud Bank Re
sumes Regular Trips.

The steamer Norfolk of the Norfolk and
Washington line, which lay for three days
stuck in the mud on the Metompkin shoals
in the Potomac, about fifty miles below this
city, did not go to Norfolk yesterday after
being f1oated, as was expected she would,
but came to this city, arriving about
o'clock yesterday afternoon. She is today
at the Norfolk and Washington pier taking
aboard her cargo and making ready to re-
sumo her place on the route between this
city, the jamestown exposition and Norfolk
at $50 o'clock this evening. Hard work on
the part of the tugs was required to break
the hold the mud had on the bottom of the
boat and pull her into deep water. After
working all day Thursday with little or no
success 1t was determined to tighten the
vessel as much as possible and the schoon-
er Lila NJ. Qu!llan, which had sailed from
Alexandria, was chartered and aboard her
was loaded the freight remaining the
steamer. The water was then blown out
Of two of her boilers and hawsers gotten
out to the tugs SO that they could start pull
Ing on her as soon as the tide was well up.
Then all hands aboard the tugs and steam
er tried to obtain few hours sleep. At 2
o'clock yesterday morning the work was
resumed. Three tugs, the Rescue of Norfolk
and the William II. Yerkes, jr.. and Ca
milla Of this city, started pulling on
the vessel. Several times during the night
the position of the steamer was shifted by
the tugs, but she obstnately resisted all
efforts to get her into deep water. The bed
on which she was lying was potters' clay,
and in it the big ship had buried her keel
q foot or more, and the sticky mud exerted
a powerful suction on the hull Of the yes-
sci and held her like wise.
The eaSterly winds had made the tide I'M
usually high, and it looked as If all efforts
to float the steamer were to be unsuccess-
full, as the tide had started to fall. The
tugs were instructed to make another at
tempt to pull her off the bar stern foremost
in the direction contrary to that on which
she had run the shoal. There was a
creaking of heavy hempen and steel cables
as the powerful tugs surged on the big
ropes, and all of a sudden the boat began
to move backward and slid off the shoal so
quickly that the tugs had to steam quickly
out of her way. But even then the troubles
of the Norfolk were not ended. In backing
her after she slid off the bar her propeller
wheel picked up a six-inch cable and wound
a diver from the Rescue had to be sent
several hours, and when it was completed
1T was nearly IL o'clock, too late to go to
Norfolk and make the return trip to this
city. That caused the change in the plans
announced. and the steamer was brought
here to take her place on the route tonight
Mr.. John Callahan states that as soon as
the Norfolk was f1oated he made a per-
sonal examination of her hull from the in
side and found she was not damaged a par
tfcle by going aShort. AS stated yesterday
the regular daily morning and afternoon
service of the Norfolk and Washington line
schedule is now resumed. and the steamers
will leave here and Norfolk on schedule
time this evening.