New-York tribune., 1921-03-19
Shipping Board
Inquiring Into
Fleet Damage
Has Special Inspection of
So Steel Vessels Tied Up
at PralIss Island Made;
Report Expected Soon
Chemicals Eating Hulls
MANY of the Boats Said To
Be Aground All the Time,
Wedged Together in Mud

rollowing reports that thirty-six
Shipning Board steel steamers tied up
i prall's Island, off the lower end of
: staten island. are being held there un-
der conditions that are leading to the
sapid deterioration of the vessels, the
hoard has Just had a special inspection
made Of these vessels. 1t is expected
.hat a report on the results of the In
vestigation will be made public shortly
aWhy Prall's Island was chosen FOR
the resting place of the ships is mys-
spgy,n says The Marine Journal. at
@as formerly used as storage place
for wooden ships, but was~found to be
ansuited even for Aat purpose and
they were taken away"
Hulls and propellers of the vessels,
It is declared, are being corroded by
the water from chemical works only
short distance away. Some of the
ships are said to be wedged together
ana embedded in the mud, with propel-
Iers half out of the water. Constant
friction and .;amming of the ships,
huddled together, are reported to have
eaLsed much damage. Iron plates on
the sides Of the ships are reported to
be worn, dented in and ripped, and in
some cases, it is lated, the super
structure of one vessel has worked un-
der that of another.
Many Vessels Damaged
The thirty-six steel vessels tied up
1t Pralls Island represent the product
Of the best known shipyards of the
country. They include the Cabegon,
Lake Flanders, Lake Gilboa, Polar Sea,
Pulaski, Lake Fariston, North Pole,
Lake Ikatam, Ambridge, West Noho-
no, John Roach, West Alsek, Tucka-
Aae, Guaro, Sioux City, West vaca,
Lake Geneva, West Port. Cockaponset,
Asddequet, Lake Gano. Edgecombe,
auinnipiac. suwied, Hatchie, West
Lake, West Point, Teresa, Cansumset,
provincetown, Western Spirit, Eastern
Light, Weekika, West Grama, Western
Cross and West Cheswold.
AGeport made to the Shipping Board
by one of its inspectors some weeks
ago called attention to the conditions
It Prall's Island. In part this stated:
i md the fleet OF ships in very bad
eonaitlon. The Teresa and West Point
gfe aground most of the time. The
lake Gano is aground at all times of
me tue and at low water her shaft
j. Two and one-half feet out of water.
Iae Lake Gano at all stages of the
lide is lying over the Maddeuuet. The
quaro is aground full length at all
stages of the tide The John Roach is
A;so aground at all times, and the hub
y ner propeller is fourteen inches out
q tns water. The Lake Flanders and
me Lake Fariston are also aground at
~ times and lay over on other ves-
Fire Hazard Grave One
The bow Of the Cockaponset comes
.aoWn on the bow Of the Maddeouet
as a result parts on the starboard how
q the Ccckaponset are damaged and
Inc Inc DOW plates on the Maddequet are
esnt. AS you go through the feet YOU
WI md about every ship damaged.
ssen more than | have stated. The
snlps grind together so hard that
wooden tenders, rope tenders or anv-
.aIag tney may use will not last any
here at Prall's Island we have ships
she Shipping Board, representing
many millions Of dollars, with no pro-
ssssion; no telephone and no steam
p0as by except at times when they
s.,I ssr.,,ng ships to the island The Lake
9ioos caught fire at 1915 a. m. on
stfDtaary 2. If there had been tele-
lAOhe on board one of the ships they
could nave notified the fire department
immediately. If there had been a small
.ag standing by, it could have gone
s,or y work at onces and have saved the
anpplng Board lot OF money. AS
: was was the fireboat Gaynor, from New
iofs, arrived at $3.50 a. M
Benson Asks Information
This report is said to have been for
pafaed to Washington and Admiral
sppsnson, chairman of the Shipping
board immediately wrote, asking for
.a1snef information about the fleet. "A
asport was sent to him on February
q, stating. in part:
- = @St@HH WdS uSSQ IdSL WlHtGI
= iAy up part of the wooden feet and
.ae damage sustained by them at that
.ine should have deferred any Ship
Mas Board official from selecting that
.ssssion to lay up valuable steel
~ However, an agent came from
Mssnlngton and consulted regarding
selsabse anchorage for the laying up
= Steel vessels. Prall's Island was
ss'.ied on. AS the vessels were turned
oass oy the operating companies, they
wese towed to Prali's Island at high
waser, placed hard up against the shore
aaa made fast, stern to stern, without
nsgard to draft of vessel or. depth of
Within the past few days the Ship
palg Board has had q special investi-
sssloa made Of the conditions as they
now are at Prall's Island and radical
measures \ to do away with the condi-