The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-10-04
TEE LOSS OF THE MELITA.
ARRIVAL OF THE JACOB A. srAMLER WITH THE
hELITA's PASSENGERS AND FART OF THE Crew
NARRATIVE OF JAMES DUNBAR, SAILOR.

4
| From the New York Times. Sept sl
The ship Jacob A. Stamler. Captain Samson.
which, II will be remembered, rescued the passen-
gers and crew OF the burning steamship Melta,
on the 9Th inst. arrived in port yesterday with
fifty Of the Melita's passengers, her captain, pur
ser, doctor, two engineers, steward, mates and
one sailor. These people have lost all their
to lack u .rem ssUs S
account for seeing that there was ample time
after the first discovery Of the fire to save every
thing IN the way OF mere personal property.
The statement here given IL that of one OF the
crew OF the Melits, and in his own words. He.
like his fellow sailors, lost everything. When per-
mission was given TO 60 below and save their
clothing, it was too late ::
NARRATIVE OF JAMES DUNBAR.
The Meita was advertised to sail from Boston
| for Liverpool on the 18th Of August, but on &C.
count OF leak In her bottom she did not start till
| next day at p. NJ Everything seemed TO Jog
along smoothly until about 1890 September 5,
Wspe n,sr so 81 nTs were
The bostswain was the first to give the alarm that
smoke was issuing from the hold directly below
the forecsstle. Quickly and quietly the pipes were
isld and brought to play on the spot from which
the real source Of the fire, but without avail and,
in fact no one had at this time any other idea but
that the fire would be extingushed Immediately.
Half an hour afterward the fire began TO show un.
mistakable promise of more trouble than had been
expected. The captain conjectured the real
source OF the fire to spring from the bottom hold,
starboard side, and accordingly gave orders to the
carpenter to cut hole In that direction in order
to accommodate the water pipes. The hole being
made, the smoke became so dense and suffocating
that man could not hold q pipe at
the mouth of the hole for more than three
minutes at a time. Now and then q man
might be seen hauled on deck in a senseless con.
dition, till it was deemed advisable TO cover up
the hold completely, with the exception of the
space allowed for the water-pipes. But must
say the space allowed for the hand pump was left
big enough for the pure air to rush in and feed the
flames. The reason of that was simply misman.
sgement; because the hand-pu was kept for
the first ten hours the distance Of eight yards from
the front hatchway, so that the buckets hsd to be
used 10 carry the water, whereas. il the hand
pump had been placed at first by the side of the
hatchway il would have saved immense labor,
been of double service, and instead Of having
such huge crater to empty the buckets.
the hand pump pipe could have been inserted in
such manner, leaving no vent for the smoke
within nor ngress for the oxygen. But in spite of
suggestions being made regarding the above plan,
1t was not adopted until about 10 A. NJ, and then
il was of little service, because by that time suf
fcient air had rushed in to feed Vesuvius. /
merely mention that in order to show that had the
hold been kept tightly closed the fire might have
had chance of being extinguished, About 8. A.
NJ. the American ship Jacob A. Stamler was de.
serted, and after signals of distress being given
from the Meliia, signals were given in response
from the ship. One of our boats was lowered i'm
mediately, and the mate taking four of the crew
set on TOR her. The American captain said he
could accommodate the passengers and crew with
shelter bnt that his stock of provisions, and espe
cialy water, was not sufficient to supply such
large humber of people. Accordingly, Capt
Sumner, of the Melita, about IL A. NJ. ordered the
passengers baggage to be brought up from the
mold and placed aft so that il might at a moments
notice, be lowered into the small boats and rowed
over to the ship: Every passenger was then
MIA md in fha oil hna TO I'd
Stamler where all we're Hospitality received.
Before leaving the steamer most of the passengers
were anxious to take their luggage along with
them, but were paciied on being assured that the
fire would be put out in couple Of hours, and
that their stay ON the strange vessel would be of
short duration but if it threatened 10 be more
dangerous, there were plenty of time, boats and
men TO transport their property at a moments
notice from the consuming element, which was
true enough. Throughout the rest of the day the
pipes poured into the hold constant stream of
water, but still the fire increased by degrees TILL
about 10 P. NJ, when the red glimmerng q lme be
gan to show itself. The men at the pumps, tired
and exhausted at seeing their labor Ruthless be.
sides being In danger of their lives left the pumps
with the determination not TO pump any more.
About IL NJ. Capt. Sumner descended the hold for
the last time but had to be hauled on deck half suf-
located. Here must observe that The captain did
all IN mortal mans power to extinguish the fire
from fret TO last, both by his own heroic actions
and the fatherly manner in which he encouraged
20 each OF the crew, after which another at
tempt at the pumps was tried, which lasted
about forty minutes, when all hands agreed to
desist entirely from any further attempt. with
the exception OF the steam-pump, which had
played continually into the hold from 1890 FRI
day morning till 10 o'clock Sunday morning, leav.
ing about seventeen feet of wafer in the hold
when the hand .pump stopped. The fire at this
time bad made rapid progress, the pure fame
being visible from beneath the hatchway, the
smoke al the same time issuing from the stack
hole, evincing that all had joined the confagra.
ton from the forecastle TO the engine room. The
eleventh commandment was the thought of every
one now, for each and all rushed to the boats.
taking their property along with them the most
appropriate way. Half an hour sfterwsrd the
flame burst up, producing a blaze which illu-
mineo The surrounding waste OF waters, and max
ing q strong contrast with the peaceful aspect of
nature. Not cloud obscured the virgin blue OF
the heavens. The stars and fnllorbed moon
looked down in their glory on the placid
ocean, unconscious of the disaster. Capt.
Sumner was the last to leave the burning
vessel, arriving at the ship about o'clock Sun
day morning. Previous to that, some of the boats
made second trip in order to obtain provisions
and luggage belonging TO the passengers; but,
alas IL was too late because most of the passen-
gers luggage was lost. Here I would make few
remarks regarding the last mentioned subject;
for there was ample time during the day to save
all the luggage, and enough provisions to serve
all parties for the voyage. couple of boats
doing nothing. Cooks and stewards had nothing
TO do, so that there were time men and boats at
any rate. The passengers, being composed chiefly
OF working people, and having their whole little
fortune on board are totally ruined; and in order
to save their best clothes had on old clothing
when they left the steamer, and now remain
" thout the one shirt TO change the other.
The fire could not be helped to be sure /;
but certainly the poor peoples property
might have been saved. OF course Capt. Sum.
ner expected to have the fire extnguished, but
all hands knew twelve hours after the first
symptoms Of fire that if there was any chance
Of saving the vessel it was very poor one. Why
not then have sent the passengers luggage away
as well as themselves because il would not have
taken much trouble 10 bring both passengers and
luggage back again besides it would have been
the surest wsy, as the poor peoples property vas
not insured, although the steamer and cargo we're
fully insur d. The last view of the steamer was
seen about IL O'Clock Sunday morning, bereft Of
every thing save her funnel and part Of her stern;
and no doubt an hour or two afterward the sea
had swallowed her up entirely. At least that was
the last seen of her from the Jacob A. Stamler.
With the exception of few remarks, have No.
thing more to say concerning the confsgrstion.
About 10 o'clock Sunday morning the bark Mona
hungo took of the Jacob A. Stamler seventeen of