Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-08
DIVERS Find But Z
BODIES INSIDE S51;;
IS BELIEVED LOST
Men Enter Battered Hull as
Submarine Is Taken Into
Dry Dock Safely.
MISSING SAIL LORS WASHED
FROM SHIP BY THE WAVES
Ealvaged Hulk, Covered With Sea-
weed and Moss, Pulled From
Reef, Where It Grounded.
n The Associated Press.

ny the Associated Press.
lss.-S YORK, July S.--Diyers who
entered the battered hull Of the
8 United states submarine S-5I. today
reported that there were about IL
bodies inside the ship. One body was
seen wedged behind machinery in the
engine room and others. were reported
IN the torpedo room.
IL the divers estimate is correct 1t
means that the bodies of 13 sailors
were washed from the hull by the
waves while 1t lay on the ocean bed
or Block Island after being sunk by
the steamer City OF Rome last Sep
tember. and will probably never be
recovered.
When the collision occurred there
\ were 36 men on the S.5I, Three
were saved and eight bodies were
later recovered. 1t had been hoped
that the remaining 25 bodies had
stayed in the submarine and could
be reclaimed by the bereaved families.
Reaches Dry Dock Safely.
With seaweed and water pouring
from the gaping holes in her forward
compartments, the S-51 was pulled
into dry dock in the navy yard at
BROOKLYN early today.
Navy officers. after an examination
OF the hulk announced that II would
require six hours to pump out the
water and remove the debris accumu-
lated during her nine months stay
lndersea
Renting Of the S-51 can be done
at an estimated cost Of S2O0,000,
Lieut.. Conldr. Eilsberg said. The sub.
mersible originally cost So 100000 and
Il would cost 81, ,000, 900 to replace her.
The Navy was not guided solely
by sentimental reasons In the raising
of the S-5I. he said. We could have
brought up whatever bodies are In
side her while she was on the bottom.
But to do that we would have been
forced to cut open the sides Of the yes.
sel. That waslliS not wish to 40.
Brass BeII Exhibited.
The brass bell Of the s.5i was ex.8
hibited By Comdf. Ellsberg He said
It was brought sto the surface more
cd to the Helium Division Of the United
States Bureau OF Mines at Pittsburgh
in recognition of the work done by div
ers from the Bureau Of Mines
The hulk was hoated and lifted to
drylock by derricks. AS the crippled
vessel moved over the sill and onto
i, the main keel blocks she presented 8
strange sight. The battered bridge
was still covered with strong sea-
weed and to parts Of the hulk chung
the tenacious dark green moss that
sailors call ssNeptune's beard. But
parts of her hulk We're a giintsng
red, cleaning brightly in the morning
sun. Officers said the sea had worn
away the Navy gray paint. The draft
line, painted black, could be seen
quite plainly.
AS she moved further UP the ways
q great hole just abaft the coming
tower became visible. This was a.
curiousIy shaped entrance to the bat
tery room, made by the iron prov of
the City of Rome, which pierced the
steel plates. Most of the crew slept
in the, battery room, and it is there
they were supposed to have been
when the S-51 plunged to the bottom.
Bow Badly Damaged.
The bow was badly damaged. This
was caused, officers said, by the force
of the submarines crash against the
ocean floor after plunging through
132 feet Of water. The wrecked for
torpedoes, two of which Were in the
launching tubes, and war heads, each
filled with hundreds of pounds Of high
explosives, 1t was known by the re-
ports of divers that the costly bat
teries were ruined, but Lieut.. Conldr.
Eilsberg said 1t had been planned to
replace these before the, S-51 sank.
Divers said the engines were corroded.
but not beyond repair.
After q tow of $50 miles through
Long Island Sound from the spot
where she was sunk. the submarine
yesterday grounded on Man Of War
4 Reef in the East River, but was re-
leased last night after q struggle Of
81 hours.
For nine months Navy salvage crews
struggled against tremendous odds TO
raise the Submarine.
After having accomplished what
some Navy officials had considered
Impossible, raising the submarine 1856
feet from the ocean depths. Comdr.
Eiisberg and his crew had passed the
guidance Of the tow out of their hands
X and to a civilian pilot when the S-5I
struck the East River reef.
Men Swept Int River.
She rested in "a feet OF water, but
Navy tugs pulled her on at high tide.
Eondr. ElIsberg. Engineman William
Badders and Seaman Solomon Schis-
5 sci. while working to lift the vessel
slightly from the reef. were swept or
penteon into the river and all but
carried under derrick. They were
rescued without difficulty.
All river craft with flags and
whistles paid homage to the wrecked
submarine as she was towed along.
Arriving in the Navy Yard
Comdr, EIisberg, clad in grirny dun
garees, was greeted BY his wife. Cali
ing two Of his divers, Chief Torpedo
man Frank Smith and Thomas Eadie
Of the Ordnance Department, he in.
troduced them to her.
Without these two men. = he said,
IF could not have done anything. They
deserve all the credit. Z,
WILBUR TO INSPECT S-5I.