VISIT TO THE SCENE. - (FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.) CRONULLA BEACH, Monday Night. - The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954) - 28 Mar 1905 (original) (raw)

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Tue 28 Mar 1905 - The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954)
Page 5 - VISIT TO THE SCENE.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL REPORTER.)

CRONULLA BEACH, Monday Night.

The scene of the mishap is out of reach

of convenient telephonic or telegraphic com-

munication. From Sutherland it is 10 or 11

miles, and from Kogarah about 15, the last

five miles having to be tramped along Cro-

nulla Beach from the hotel. For this reason

not half a dozen people visited the spot to-

day. The surrounding country is bleak and

desolate, and consists for the most part of sand

dunes and wastes. The only inhabitants are

a handful of fisherfolk, who manage to keep

their craft in a little rockbound inlet called

Boat Harbour. It is hard by that the Marjorie

struck - a mile to the south of the Koonya

wreck some years ago. She just missed the

main reef in the vicinity - the Doughboy bom-

bora - and managed to run into a narrow

and shallow channel in the Merries.

Immediately on striking rockets were fired,

and the two lifeboats and dingy lowered.

Members of the crew got ashore and when the

vessel's position was ascertained the captain

despatched the first mate to Sydney via Botany

for assistance. Low water exposed part of

the ledge of rocks on which the steamer had

stranded. The Majorie then had her forefoot

out of water, whilst at the stern there was

perhaps not more than 4ft.

A local identity, "Dannie" James, was fish-

ing quietly in his boat off the reef when the

collier loomed up in the offing. "Keep to sea

or you will go aground" he shouted to those

on board, but apparently his warning was un-

availing. It would probably have been too

late, for a minute or two after there was a

crash as the collier hit the reef not 50 yards

The master early in the morning decided

that the 650 tons of coal in

the after hold should be dumped

in order to lighten the vessel. The other

hatch was empty. Word was sent to Sydney

for men to assist in the work; meantime all

hands made a start at getting the coal over

the side. The tugs Leveret and Bellambi

arrived in the forenoon, the latter, which be-

longs to the company, bringing a number of

coal-lumpers, who were at once transferred

to the Marjorie. With three winches at work