Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-31
PHILADELPHIA SHIP
WRECKED OFF COAST
OF NORTH CAROLINA
Schooner Warren Adams,
Battered by Fierce Gale,
Towed to Norfolk After
Many Perils.

NORFOLK, Va, Dec. 31.-The aban-
doned, dismasted water-logged coastinE
schooner Warren Adams, of Philadelphia,
picked up in the Gulf Stream while a
great menace to navigation by the United
States revenue cutter Itasca, was towed
into Hampton Roads by the Itasca last
night.
while Captain b. NJ Chiswell, COM
manding the Itasca, was officially turn
ing the Adams over to Collector of Gus
boms Norman r. Hamilton at the lat
ter's Newport News office this morning,
to be held as Government property until
claimed by her owners, A, d. Cummins,
of 127 Walnut street, Philadelphia, man
aging owner of the Adams, accompanied
by Captain w. V. Grace, the derelict's
master, appeared at the Newport News
Custom House and claimed the vessel
Up to this time nothing had been heard
here of the safety of Captain Grace and
the crew. who left the wrecked Adams
In the only llfeboat carried by the vessel
STRUCK BY FIERCE GALE,
Captain Grace told today of thrilling
experience by himself and crew when
the Adams, bound from Charleston, s. c.,
to Philadelphia with a cargo of Southern
lumber. was struck by fierce gale off
the North Carolina coast Sunday. De-
cember 27, and had to be abandoned after
two of the vessels masts had been broken
remained on the Adams until they We're
sighted by the steamship Joseph j. Gu
neo. bound from Kingston, Jamaica, for
New York. The Adams lifeboat was
then lowered and the Adams crew left
her, going aboard the Cuneo, which land
ed them in New York,
The Adams. having been several times
reported abandoned and menace to
navigation along the Atlantic coast, the
revenue cutters Seminole and Itasca went
to search for her The Seminole sought
for three days without result The Itasca,
in command of Captain B. NJ. Chiswell
receiving word from Diamond Shoals
Wireless Station that the Adams had
been sighted in the Gulf Stream, pro-
ceeded hurriedly from her anchorage off
Lynnhaven Inlet in Lower Chesapeake
Bay, and. as a result of careful calcula-
tions made by Captain Chiswell, the cut
ter picked up the derelict in the midst of
the Gulf Stream.
She was at this time drifting nearly |
two miles an hour, and the opinion was
expressed by some aboard the Itaska |
that II nothing had stopped the ship she |
might have been carried in the rapid |
current of the Gulf Stream over 10 Bu- |
rope and back to the Azores.
When the Adams was found two of her |
three masts were missing. She was |
water-logged and her rail on one side
had been carried away. Her steering |
gear remained intact,
Captain Chiswell. calling for volunteers,
dispatched four men, CoXswain Lager
man, Seamen Grady, Holden and Pinner
aboard the derelict to steer her while
the Itasca began the 1i0-mlle tow into
Hampton Roads. At this time It was
very warm in the Gulf Stream, those
aboard the Itasca declaring the temper
ature TO be that of a typical August day,
while snow was yet on the ground in
Norfolk. less than 150 miles west
In the warm waters of the Gulf Stream
there was floating about the derelict
schooner great school of sharks, APP
hungry for food.
Volunteers from the Itasca, undismayed
by the sharks, proceeded in a small row.
Ing cutter from the Itasca and went on
the derelict, Shortly after the tow began
a severe storm arose and the volunteers
from the Itasea were from l p m. De-
,ember 20. until II Q. m. December 80,
aboard the Adams In what was almost a
continuous downpour OF rain with heavy
seas also washing the wrecked schooner's
1eck. The volunteers brayely stood at
heir posts until Captain Chiswell brought
he Adams into port last night.
PERIL TO NAVIGATION REMOVED.
The salying OF the Adams by the cutter
Itasca means not only that a menace
o navigation has been removed from the
AAANCA pain VI to&1tAAB Ntn1tA5s buI the
iereliet has been saved 10 her owners,
Who get her back without cost except for
he payment of the rowing cutter from
he Itasca which was swamped in the
Ugh seas after tow OF the dereIict was
,egun by the Itasca in the Gluf Stream
The vessel and her cargo are worth,
{ Is said. approximately $4,000 The yes
el win be repaired to some extent and
hen towed on 10 Philadelphia.
The Warren Adams is e67 gross tons,
s. feet long, IS feet beam and drew IS
eet OF water.
Size was built originally ia Maine ia lsSl
nd hailed nom Jacksonville, Fla. until
Ter register was changed 10 Philadelphia
NO years ago.
The appearance Of Captain Grace and
damaging Owner cummins at the New
oFt News Custom House this morning
uAt ss Captain ChisWell vas about to
urn over the defeict 70 Collector Hamil-
On resulted from a radiogfam sent from
q yesterday by Captain chisWeil u tha
iiadeIphia Maritime Hxchaake. askle4
IaL lhr oWncFa of he Adams - inarIrI