Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-01-14
Milwaukee Stranded Near Eu-
reka in Fog and Will Be
Total Loss Unless It Is
Floated at Once.
SAILORS BEING REMOVED
Marine Experts Say it is I'm
probable Warship Can Be
Pulled Off.
SECOND SHIP TO STRAND

message TO Commandant f. NJ. Ben
nett OF the Mare Island Navy yard.
said officers and crew of the stranded
cruiser Milwaukee were being taken
ashore in breeches buoy with indi-
cations all would be landed. Efforts
to pull the Milwaukee off the sand had
failed, the message said t
The United States cruiser Mill
waukce, costing approximately 81
OOO. 1000, will be total loss unless it is
floated Immediately, its commander
Lieutenant w. F. Newton firelessed
Commandant F. NJ. Bennett OF the
Mare Island Navy yards tJday. Oh
hcers said there was not possibility OF
floating it,
Ordered to Take Charge.
Washington, Jan. IS Admiral
Caperton, commander of the Pacific
feet. was late today ordered to take
charge OF the relief OF the cruiser NH
waukee. He will go ION his flagship
San Diego, from San Diego, Cal
Milwaukee Goes Ashore.
Eureka, Cal, Jan. l3.-The United
States cruiser Milwaukee went on .he
shore near this point today. The Mil
waukee was aiding in an attempt to
salvage the submarine HIS, which
went ashore several weeks ago.
Tugs were sent to the assistance OF
the Milwaukee, which was said to bes
in no immediate danger. The Mil
waukee is a first class cruiser, as
signed to duty as tender for coast tor
pedo vessels.
Difficulties OF war vessels in these
parts began December ia, when the
submarine H-3, coming down the
coast with the HI and H-2 ran
ashore two miles above the entrance
to Humboldt bay, having turned too
soor, In making the harbor. Its crew
/ was rescued with difficulty.
| Last Wednesday the Milwaukee, the
monitor Cheyenne and one or two
other boats tried to pull the H-5 out
OF the sand. A seaman was drowned
off the Milwaukee, when a boat up
set, but the submarine was not moved
! Grounds in Thick Fog.
! l> The Milwaukee grounded inside the
| first line of breakers at AS a. NJ. IN
dense fog. Marine experts here
said it was doubtful il it could be
pulled off. The coast guard which
rescued the crew of the HIS, went
up the beach at daybreak.
| In a fight for their lives against a
heavy sea, more than 800 United
States sailors were being brought
ashore tonight in breeches buoys at
tachcd to the cruiser Milwaukee,
which rolled and tossed in the surf.
with the possibility of being total
loss on the northern California
coast, where it struck in fog early
this morning.
Breakers were spraying over the
warship's superstructure and the i'll
ccssant pounding of the waves was
driving the vessel further ashore IN
the sand. The Milwaukee's false bot
tom was CODED in all effort to anchor
il against the wash of the sea. Naval
officers ashore said it was hardly pos
sible that the $4000,000 cruiser would
ever float again.
Fatal Place for Vessels.
The Milwaukee is stuck on the sand
only a few hundred yards from the
/ submarine HIS, which grounded .
month ago near the entrance to HUM
boldt bay. The cruiser was engaged
in an attempt to salvage the sub
mersible at the time of the accident.
Within forty or fifty miles of this part
of the coast other vessels have struck
shore during the last few years and
none of them has been saved.
Four breeches buoys were in work.
ing order late this afternoon and the
men were being brought ashore as
fast as possible. The lines had been
attached to the ships masts. With the
roll OF the vessel the trolleys would
slackcn and then straighten out, drop
ping the buoys, with their human
burden, into the breakers and alter
nately hosting them into the air.
Fifty men and "Sea Rover" the
ships dog mascot, were landed just
before Diary, with the aid of surf
boats manned by coast life savers.
One of the sailors said there was
eight feet of water in one of the fire
rooms and that two boilers had
shifted.
Newton In Command.
! Medical Treatment was given the
! rescued sailors by the naval militia
of Eureka, members OF which arrived
with emergency equipment late this
afternoon.
The Milwaukee was in command OF
Lieutenant w. F. Newton. 1t carried
about thirteen commissioned officers.
ten warrant officers and a reduced
complement OF between 400 and 500
men. Seventy of the crew were
ashore when the Milwaukee struck as
sisting in the salvage work on the
submarine.