The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-04-26
ANGUS PASSENGER
STEAMER ST. PAUL
SINKS AT DOCKS
Boat Had Just Come From
Drydock and Was Being
Warped Into Berth
at Pier

An Atlantic Port. April 25.-The
American line steamship st. Paul,
famous passenger liner, overturned and
sark at her pier here today while he
ing warned into pier preparatory
to loading for a trip to Europe. Three
men probably lost their lives i'm the
accident.
At the time the ST. Paul was not
under steam, but was being brought
by tugs from n drydock, where for
the last week she had been undergoing
ernl hundred workmen who had been
sent with the vessel to complete their
work while she was being loaded. The
steamer now is lying on her port
side with about 10 feet of her hull
amidships above the water, and is com
pIctcIy submerged both fore and aft.
THREE MEN MISSING
A statement issued by the company
shortly after the accident. said three
men, known to have been on board, were
and that it was feared they had
been lost. Whether it was believed these
men were trapped below decks as the ship
went over or We're drowned by jumping
overheard could not be ascertained.
A general alarm was sounded through
the ship when it was seen that she was
in danger and, as fully 10 minutes elapsed
before she turned over, it is thought
most, If not all, the men reached the
deck. A large number eof the men es-
capped by simply climbing over the rail
and onto the exposed side of the vessel
as it came uppermost, while others leaped
into the water and were picked up by
the tugs
Several possible causes for the accident
were advanced, but owing to the uncer-
tainty surrounding it no definite state
ment was given out, and will not be, Of
ficials Of the line said, until officers
of the navy and federal officials and rep
of the company can complete
an investigation. which was begun i'm
mediately.
ONE THEORY ADVANCED
zone of the causes advanced, which
was supported by experienced marine
men, was that the ship, which was be-
ing warped into the pier by lines from
the shore and assisted by tugs pushing,
listed so far that water entered open
coal ports, this resulting in on over
coming of the center of gravity. Another
explanation offered was that the ships
seacocks might have been open. either by
accident or design
Steps to salvage the vessel were
promptly begun and number of large
wrecking barges tugs and floating der
ricks are tonight engaged in the work.
SOLDIERS GUARD SHIP
Immediately after the accident a heavy
guard of soldiers. police and marine
forces were thrown around the pier and
government tugs took up positions out
side the slip. All war zone passes were
ignored and no one not a government
official was allowed inside 'the lines.
view of the overturned hull, lying on her
side in about 40 feet of water, could
be seen from ferry boats passing up and
down the river.
AS the vessel went over on her side her
masts and tunnels struck the adjoining
pier a steel structure and were broken
off Flying pieces Of wood hit NUM-
Der Of the men and possibly dozen of
them were injured, somc so badly that 1t
was necessary to convey them to nos
pitfalls. Also several men were injured by
being crushed between the overturned
hull and barges made fast to the pier on
the opposite side of the slip.
MEN WERE TRAPPED
1t also was reported that 1t was
necessary to cut holes with gas torches
in the exposed side of the vessel in
order to liberate some men who were
caught below decks. Men on the deck
of the st. Paul claimed that they heard
tappings from workers entrapped in
side.
Before leaving the drydock the navy
gun crew. which accompanies the ves-
sells on her trips through the war zone.
went aboard the st. Paul. All these
men escaped, navy officials said, but
they, with the members of the work
ing crew of the ship, had to leave
their personal effects on board. The
st. Paul had no cargo, and aside from
the damage to the machinery and to
her interior furnishings the loss Will
be confined to the cost of salvage OPP
erations.
HISTORY OF SHIP
The St. Paul is owned by the In
ternational Mercantile company She
was built at a cost of $2,650,000 and
was launched in Philadelphia April
II, 1895.
She normally carried crew of $50
men, The ship is 554 feet long with
a 63-foot beam.
Called into war service in 1898 dur
ing the Spanish American war. the -.
Paul. under command of then Capt.
Cahrles d. Sigsbee. U. $. n, dis
tinguished herself with the st. Louis,
a sister ship. in several engagements.
After the war she was rehtted as
a merchant ship, but her gun mount
inss were not removed and were used
for new armament when the United
states entered the present conflict.
In 1908 the St. Paul while on a
homeward voyage from England
rammed in a fog the British cruiser