The sun., 1908-06-24
8 Dir In TIE WHIrNEY'S HOLD
WRECKED WITH NO LOSS or LIFE,
RAISED AT GREATER COST.

Gate Reef ana Are Killed by CnrD0nfc
Acid Gas Arising From tho Cargo.
Nobody was hurt when the steamboat
II. M. Whitney went on Niger Point reef,
Hell Gate. in fog q month ago, but three
men were killed on her yesterday an hour
after she had been raised. She had been
pumped out by the Merritt Chapman Wreck
ing Company and Hoated over to the foot Of
East io2d street. Three Of the wreclzng
Grew went down the forward hatohway into
the hold, were overcome by carbonio acid
fumes and were taken out dead.
One was August Bjorklund, veteran
diver, who had patched up one Of the big
holes in the side Of the steamer. He took
with him Herman Fabrioius, a blacksmith.
and Michael Menus, laborer. supt.
Thomas Kivlin, In charge Of the wreckers,
and Capt. George Hone Of the Henry NJ.
Whitney had warned all the wreckers and
members Of the crew that It would be un-
safe to venture into the hold until the air
had been purified.
The Whitney's cargo consisted mainly
Of green hides, miscellaneous freight made
up largely Of rubber. resin, molasses and q
quantity Of coal. Some 500 tons had been
taken out and yesterday 300 tons remained.
The divers had patched the hole in the boats
bottom and yesterday morning, having
pumped her out, the wreckers got two i'm
mense chains under the bow and stern Of the
Whitney and she was lifted almost out Of the
water by four powerful floating derrioks.
Shortly before noon the derrioks headed for
the Manhattan shore and an hour later the
freighter was lying at the foot Of 102d street.
The derricks had scarcely been tied up
there when Bjorklund and his two assist
ants went down the second forward hatch
way. No one saw them go. but few min
utes later one Of the wreckers. happening
10 pass the hatohway, looked down into the
hold and saw the three men stretched out
on the bottom. Supt. Kivlin was noti-
fed and he called the members Of his
force and the crew Of the steamer around
him.
"The man who goes down after those men
takes his life in his hand. but there ought
TO be somebody here brave enough to do it,
said Kivlin. If we can get them out OF
that rotten gas promptly we may save
them"
There wasn't any response for moment.
but suddenly Diver Jack Hanson worked
his way through the little group around the
hatchway with a..diver's helmet over his
head. Hanson didn't speak until he had
taken half dozen steps down the ladder.
when he said:
Il guess I'm about the best friend Gus
Bjorklund had. and II the boys will keep me
supplied with air I'll get those poor fell
lows out as quickly as any one could"
He tied rope around Bjorklund's should
ers. and while Bjorklund was being pulled
up on deck two more ropes we're thrown to
Hanson. He secured the ropes around
Menus and Fabricius. and in ten minutes
all three men were ON deck and were receiv-
ing first aid treatment. Ambulances were
sent for. but it was nearly half an hour
before DR.. Moeckel Of the Harlem Hospital
arrived. The three men were dead then.
Supt. Kivlin was arrested and taken before
Coroner Aoritelli who released him to
appear at the inquest.
Both Bjorklund and Fabricius lived at
Stapleton. Staten Island, while Menus
lived at Atlantic avenue. Brooklyn. Supt.
Kiviin said that BjorSlund was one OF the
most experienced divers in the company's
employ and he couldn't understand how
the man happened to venture into the
gas ridden hold without testing it for the
poisonous vapors. With such a mixed
cargo as the Whitney is carrying submerged
for thirty-one days it was certain to be
almost fatal for any one to go into the hold
until it had been thoroughly ventilated
he said. He should have taken the pre-
caution to drop down q lantern before
he went down himself"
Capt. Hone Of the Henry M. Whitney
said yesterday that the damage TO the
steamer can be repaired very quickly when
she gets into dry dock. As q result Of his
steamers misfortune the Government has
decided to put bell buoy on the reef
The pilots Of the Sound steamers breathed
easier yesterday afternoon when they ap-
He'll Gate and found the steamer
out OF the channel. The larger vessels.
the Fall River Line steamers.
have had tight squeeze sometimes. and
in foggy weather 1t was exceedingly dan
gerous to attempt the passage.
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