Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1913-02-08
DERELICTSOF OCEAN.
Uses to Which Abandoned Ships
Have Been Put.
San Francisco Steamer Stranded on
Guatemala ls Made to Light a
Town--u. s. Warship Served
as Hotel In Chill.

San Francisco. Suppose you lived
In blistering bit OF a Central Ameri |
can village. with the jungle steaming
on one side OF you and the sea blaz-
Ing endlessly on the other, with
smelly kerosene lamps for illumina-
tion and the Injuries OF life fewer
than you'd expect to find in an Ari-
zona adobe. And then suppose tidal
wave came along and smashed things
up pretty generally. but ended by
picking UP a fine big steamer and
washing her over the bar into shoal
water near the beach. leaving her
there high and dry
The funny thing about this particu
lar story. however. is that It is true,
says writer 1t actually happened
1t was along about four years ago
that the steamer Osiris OF the Kos
mos line OF San Francisco was lying
off Ocos. Guatemala, when an earth.
quake shook that part of the world
and as followed by tidal wave big
enough to pick up the steamship as
If she had been fishing smack and
carry her over the intervening sand
banks to a point near the beach.
two reefs just sufii ciently far apart
to provide her with a comfortable
girdle.
When her crew left her. judging
her to be of no further use, citizen
OF Ocos, who had some experience of
civilized life. rowed out to the unin-
jured wreck and cast speculative
eye over her contents. Later. he sent
to Mexico for the necessary mate
rials, and proceeded to form the Ocos
Electric Light and Power company.
Ocos took the hook all the way down
its gullet--and then struggled for
more To think OF having a real cleo
tric lighting plant! II was hardly to
be believed. And every citizen of
Ocos lorded it over the citizens of
the other village seaports along the
Guatemalan coast which could not
boast such munificent luxury.
Then. behold. as Joy and pride were
at their height. what should happen
but a brief communication to the Ocos
Electric Light and Power company
from the Kosmos line of San Fran
cisco. stating that salvage operations
would shortly be begun with an idea
Osiris into deep water. SO that she
might resume her peregrinations
along the Pacific coast.
Can you imagine the grief In Ocos?
Can you conceive the misery of the
mayor, who saw his streets deprived
of their glowing decorations and en-
blems OF progress?
1t has been almost too great bur
den of disappointment for Ocos to
bear. They have seen their source of
illumination cut off, the salvage crew
at work on the lighting plants regen-
Grafton, presently they will even be
obliged to witness its actual depar-
ture $500. 3.
Although the story of the Osiris
stands alone for tragic interest, there
are other instances on record of ships
carried ashore and used for purposes
foreign to the builders intentions
Perhaps the most noted case is that
Of the United States steam sloop-of-
war Wateree, which was washed
ashore by a tidal wave at AFRICA. Chilli
under circumstances almost Identical
to those attending the wrecking of
the Osiris.
M II was soon seen that 1t was irnpos-
sible to get the Wateree on; 1t would
have cost far more than the vessel
was worth. So she was abandoned
by the crew and sold for old junk, But
instead OF breaking her up the Gillian
who bought her had imagination
enough to see what a splendid chance
he had to make really big money out
OF her as curiosity. So he fitted
the Wateree up as hotel. cafe and
restaurant. leaving her hull just as
Il was, however. and his quaint es-
tablishment soon became recognized
pilgrimage for all pleasure seekers in
4ntx IN