The Wreck of the Vega
A dramatic
educational subject
showing how big
wrecks are salvaged
Written and produced by GEORGE L. COX
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CAST
TOM LEWIS George L. Cox BELL DIVER
PRED BROWN William H. Stowell HEAD MATE
ED. NOBLES La Payette S. McXee PILOT Frank Isahell
Mariners, Longshoremen, Sailors, etc.
FIVE years ago the world was shocked to hear of the sinking of one of the finest and fastest ore
boats on the great lakes. During one of the worst storms in the memory of sailors this great
boat the Vega, became suddenly lost and, almost without warning, was driven ashore on the
dangerous reefs near the Fox Islands in northern Lake Michigan. There she lay in shoal
water like a wounded thing, helpless, until the maddened sea drove her to the bottom of the lake.
The Vega was a new boat, carrying a valuable cargo of steel. Naturally she became a tempting prize for salvage wreckers. j
Time dragged on while the Vega's owners were engaged in expensive litigation. This so delayed
the work of salvaging her slowly sinking hulls that, at the end of five years, the herculean task of pillaging her rich storehouse of steel became a necessity. Capt. Thomas Isabell & Son, owners of the
"City of New Baltimore," were given the salvage job and ordered to begin at once. They were told
to recover as much of the cargo as possible and then to dynamite the derelict.
The picture shows in vivid story form the salvage process. We see
the captain and his men hoist their derricks, unload their machinery and
get their diving apparatus ready. Then we follow them as they cut great
sheets of metal from the steamer's decks by the aid of compressed air.
We see the divers go down into her hold and watch the dangerous work
. of "claming" her cargo of ore. After this interesting work is completed
i we see the huge boat blown to a million atoms by powerful explosives.
The Right Way and the Wrong Way
al value, showing the right and wrong methods of getting on and
rded streets, getting in and out of boats, etc.
An exceptional subject of vast educati
off cars, extinguishing fires, crossing
George L.
Cox
SELIG