Milford chronicle., 1959-03-13

The Coast Guard stated on Mon
day, March 8, that there's still no
trace of LeWes Bertrand, 20. of
Lewes. Del, who apparently was
swept overheard when the forward
half of the wrecked tanker African
Queen" capsized in heavy weather
last Friday night.
Bertrand was in partnership
with two other Lewes men, William
v. Marshall, Jr., owner of trailer
park and Harold Birmingham, Jr.,
an oil distributor.
Birmingham, said the three of
them had a plan to redistribute the
oil cargo in the forward section,
which would cause it to float bet
ter and then planned to pump the
oil out and sell it and then return
and bring the hull ashore for scrap.
I'VE hoped to raise enough
money out of that operation to go
back and tackle the other section" ,
Brittingham said. The African
Queen broke in half on December
80 on a shoal nine miles southeast
of here.
After the owners abandoned the
ship two weeks ago, watermen from
Lewes and Ocean City have been
visiting her daily, getting furnish
ings, paint and scrap metal.
Bertrand has been working out
there with Capt Johnson, also OF
Lewes. I'VE were making 30 to 40
bucks day." Captain Johnson said.
On Thursday, Marshall put Ber-
trand aboard the boat, partly as
holding operation. Brittingham
said, after they heard reports an
other group was going to try the
same thing. They decided they
should .'stake their claim. Ber-
trand had several days provisions
and also had a rife. THAT was
his own idea" said Brittingham.
However, Capt Mckinley Reed,
Ocean City, who was on the wreck
last Thursday, said that Bertrand,
after being put aboard pulled the
Jacobs ladder back up, thus pre-
venting anyone else from coming
aboard. He lowered it, however,
for Capt. Reed and his other Ocean
City friends, who have been sal
vaging for the past couple OF
weeks. ST asked him what he was
doing with the rife, Capt. Reed said.
He told us he was there to guard
the forward section of the wreck.
Rough weather prevented Mar
shall from returning to the wreck
to help Bertrand put his plan in
operation. The heavy weather loos-
ened the wreck and caused her to
capsize sometime Friday, presum-
ably after dark The Coast Guard at
Ocean City reported a blinking light
from the wreck about z p. m.
A 36-foot boat was sent out but
was forced to turn back because of
high seas. Also about this time
Bertrand's family advised the Coast
Guard at Ocean City he was on the
ship. Helicopters and planes made
passes over the scene and reported
the forward section over on her
side, but no trace of Bertrand. He
is married and has two children.
Bertrand has followed the water
most of his life, having worked on
off-shore draggers and trawlers.
Four new members of Henlopen
Grange, 20, of Lewes, and one from
Midland Grange, Georgetown, were
obligated into the order by Past
Master Irving Hastings, of Mid
land Grange, at the March meet
ing of the Lewes Grange in the
Quaktertown club house.
Those entering Henlopen were
10
garet Wiley and Mr.. and Clarence
Atkinson, all of Lewes. They were
given the third and fourth degrees.
Master John H. Wilson, of Hen
lopen, expressed his pleasure in
the good attendance of members
and guests that included Lloyd
Tyndall, master of Midland Grange.
The treasurer, Mrs. Verna Pretty
man, announced that profit of al