Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-03
WILLIAMSON COMPANY
GIVES AN EXHIBITION
Leg OF shc Barge Ada Tells of Sue
oessful Whit to Wreck of
Schooner Rogers.

me Williamson Submarine Compa-
ny barge Ada equipped with tube
raissoh, returned TO her moorlngs ut
V. " 0. pier 4 yesterday morning
inter visit to Browns Shoals, where
an examination was made of the aban-
doned hull OF the schooner Rogers.
wrecked some months ago at these
shoals.
The visit to the Rogers wreck was
me result OF desire on the part of
,ne management OF the Williamson
submarine Company to give n demon
stration and test OF its apparatus and
some new equipment. prior to sending
1t to Norfolk for public exhibit.
The following data is obtained from
the log of the Ada:
"On February 26th the barge was
towed to the wreck of the schooner
Curtis w. Wright above the ship
yard. but after investigation and
soundings the hull of this wreck was
found to be in about fifty feet of wa
Ter ana consequently too deep for tho
iehsth of tube the Williams Company
mas at present in operation. :.
Several pieces of the vessels gear
around her mast could have been sal
vaged by tho Williamson tube. but
owing to the fact that The Wright"
Is not abandoned, the company had no
right to pick up any part of her. 1t
was therefore decided to return tho
barge 10 her moorings of the Casino.
where the tnl'a was landed on the
rivers bottom In about twenty feet of
water MIR. @. u. Wagner of Phoe-
ous, descending in the tube with n ca
mera and made some experiments In
under water photography.
"On February 2s, the barge was
lowed out to the schooner Rogers
wrecked off Browns Shoals where it
lay overnight.
ON the morning of the Goth con-
ncctlon was made with the wreck and
In the afternoon the tube casson was
lowered over the Rogers so that the
bottom of the operating chamber rest
ed on her deck near the foremost in
ABOUT twenty-five feet of water.
The demonstration was made in
very rough weather and with very
heavy current running. In spite of
rio heavy seas, however. several
mcmbers of the company descended
IN the tube. Mayor Il. p. Furness. OF
Phoebus, descended with President
Williamson and remained below for
nearly an hour examining the me-
chanism of the tube and the means
FOR locating and recovering objects
under water. Mr.. Furness was fol-
lowed by Mr.. Wagner. but il was
found that the water was not clear
enough to attempt further operations.
The high seas and strong current
had made the water too muddy 10 at
tempt to complete the work on that
day without the aid OF the submarine
light which has not yet been added to
the barge's equipment.
Sunday. however, the weather and
water seemed 10 join hands TO favor
tho company's project and it was pos
sible to make n complete examination
of the wreck. The Rogers" was
found to be In very had, broken-up
condition: booms and sails lying loose
and iii q wrecked state. The vessel
lay on her starboard bilge and her
rail- but couple of feet or so out OF
the mud; the port side of the vessel
Is ten feet or so out of the mud.
Several pieces OF gear and rope
were brought up from her decks and
one of her spars was disconnected and
salyaGed.
The result OF this work has clear
~ demonstrated the practicabllity of
the Williamson apparatus, and it has
also shown that vessels wrecked In
the manner OF the Rogers" can be nj
any time Investigated and salvaged
by this method of open mir shaft tube
and by the ordinary individual All
the gear above mentioned was taken
from some twenty-five feet under
water by means of the collapsiblc
tube caisson and flexible arm sleeve
extension in the operating chamber.
The light ports in this chamber made
1t possible for the practical man to
make complete occuiar examination
of the condition OF the wreck and at
the same time breathe the air that was
breathetl at the surface.
Owing to the fact that it was the
intention to send the barge and tube
caisson to Norfolk Monday. (yester-
day. no further work was done ON the
Rogers" and the barge returned TO
her moorings at pier 4 early yesterday,
and in all probability will be towed to
Norfolk today"
DEL c n CUEuK H6c