Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-03
ARBUCKlE Saves COLLIER NERO
COMPRESSED AIR WINS WHEN
NAVAL MEN FAIL.
Nearly a Months Work-No Price
Agreed Upon Before Craft
Was Rescued

NEWPORT. r. I. August 3.-An hour
before high tide last night the naval col
ler Nero was hauled from the rock at
Brenton's Reef by the five tugs and the
submarine tender Nina by means of the
John Arbuckle method of employing COM
pressed air
w. w. WotherSpoon, an expert in the
use Of compressed air. and Capt James
McIllister were in charge Of the work.
The first haul was made at 6:4j O'Clock
with the aid of kedge to seward and
many hawsers running from the stern to
the pulling squadron. When a full strain
was taken the Nero budged slowly and
her stern moved to port. a cheer from
the workers celebrating the GOLFERS re-
moval from her holdings on the rocks.
Soon afterward the Nero struck another
obstruction and held until TBS. when con-
tinual hosting brought her once more into
deep water.
Then the squadron of tugs under direc-
ton of Capt. McIllister took the Nero in
tow into the harbor. where further repairs
will be made to her bottom. which was
pierced in numerous places by the rocks.
The Nero ran on the Brenton's Reef on
July 2. in dense fog. She was on her
way from the naval coaling station at
Bradford for the Atlantic feet at Prov
incetown. She was commanded by Capt.
William r. Kennedy OF the Marchant
Maripe and had a crew of forty men. who
have remained on board ever since.
The Navy Department directed Rear
Admiral John Z. Merrill 10 take charge
Of the work of saving the Nero. and at
fempts were made with tugs and naval
craft and some iof the Scott Wrecking
Company's fleet to raise her on July >.
3 and 4. When these failed a contract
was made with John .Arbuckle to raise
the craft, the price TO be determined by
the Navy Department only after the Nero
was saved.
The .Arblickle forces went TO work on
the night of July 4. and they have been
working night and day ever since.
The method used by the -Arbuckle COM
pany was partly disclosed after the rails
ing of the cruiser Yankee when that yes
sci struck on Hen and Chickens shoals
near the entrance TO Buzzards bay. Sep
TENDER IS, 1893, and the same method
was followed in the case of the Nero. The
Arbuckle engineers closed all the holes
and matches on the deck with steel plates.
leaving no opening in the ship, except
under water. The compressed air pumps
We're then applied through holes which
were especially bored for that purpose.
Each of these pumps is capable of pump
ing 1900 square feet of water minute.
AS the water was driven down the
holds by the compressed air workmen
entered the holds through special marine
airlocks The compressed air drove the
water entirely out of the holds, exposing
the concrete. This was then blasted out.
and the injuries to the ship below the
water line were uncovered. The COM
pressed air held the water out OF the
now dry holds
When the ship was entirely dry and
lightened by the removal of the stores
and other things in her holds. the bow
was raised by depressing the stern by
water and other weight. Gables were
then laid to heavy anchors and the ship
was hauled off the reef.
The Nero was lowered into the mud
fats in the inner harbor, and late last
night she washed into the winter quar-
tiers Of Commodore Elbridge r. Gerry's
steam yacht Elecra. at Sullivan's wharf
Hundreds of people gathered to inspect
the craft by the electric light from the
wharf. The Nero was not damaged.