The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-12-22

CQaFles, MI me- HaIuy OOhihH icAo"n "AN h>SA'J
ali spoke Of the burning OF the A. d. Wyman as
one Of
TIE MOST TERRIBLE CASUALTIES
that had ever come within their knowledge. Al
though oil were anxious 10 impart inlormaE on
II was found necessary to see the captain VINO
was subsequently ascertained to be at the ONCE OF
was there tnat the generous gentleman set forth In
plain ana concise terms the character oI the scene
Of Which ne saS seee pe
crossing bis legs, good naturediy went on 10 state
snip ss S %S tons ss Isgs's or ey
s Weather sae until til she neared s6e Banks swoana
longitude sixty. degrees forty-three minutes she
hove to for the night m heavy gale About Blk
next morning flying the flags Of distress from her
fore top and mzzen top. the storm OF the preceding
night mad been accompanied 0y
LOUD THUNDER CLAPS
and vivid flashes OF lightning, and although the
weather had now moderated mighty swell re-.
NAMED The ship In the distance which subse-
quently proved to be the A. B. WymaD was steering
south under topsails AS the two vessels gradually
THICK COLUMN OF SMOKE
was seen to ascend from the deck OF the A. B. Wy.
anp had 1 allowed to
to attract attention. 1t was, indeed, melancholy
signal but dangerous as + was It appeared to be
two ships came close together Loud above the mo-
notonous Of the rolling sea came forth the shri
ana earnest cry yMr SHIPS ON rrnnw
II was the despairng appeal OF the captain OF the
70 sac a naeSee did
events. and quickly bore down upon the burning
Ship He saw the top OF her mainroyal mast had bro
ken Off and hanging down, but with that exception
no other evidences OF damage were apparent. And
yet to the eve of the seaman there were presented
marked and decided tskens-the last visible symp-
toms Of the poor
SAILORS FoBLoRN HOPE,
the lifeboats-for they were suspended from the
launched With human freight amid ocean, ana in q
raging sea. When the Charles hove to boat was
two men, who, though tossed about moved briskly
over.
Come over and see the ship, sir" sung out the
mate; 'Hne captain wants you."
The boat came alongside the Charles, and with
pluck that merits commentator Captain Lachere
promptly responded 10 the summons and crossed
over 70 the burning ship: The object IN asking
Captain Lachere on board the A. b. Wyman was
doubtless to reveal TO him the true and terrible state
OF affairs. Captain Lachere states that on coming
close to the starboard side OF the vessel the heat was
oppressive, while tnlck volumes Of smoke were
welcomed his timely and nobie-hearted guest with
all the cordially which The occasion permitted, and
quickly explained the condition OF the vessel. The
situation was dreadful TO contemplate. The crew,
in impinent danger, were naturally excited, while
about to become u more terrible foe than the
iiercest hurricane that ever ragged captain Wyman
nights before the mainroyal masthead had been
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING,
that the electric luid had gone through the coat OF
the mainmast and passed aown INTO the hold. AT
the time the casualty occurred but little notice was
taken Of It, and 1t was not until The smoke began 10
Of s the Gpgn o r ssye orders
make everything air TIGHT below, stufflng up all
places q ventilation, and, changing his course
ossu eaG H'n vessel Oh The no way " She
had been two DAYS and nights in this condition
%s% sS sss Gnsfn tshEs ssa
everything very much heated, the cabin sufocatlng
and the crew ready to take to the boats as the last
decks. Having tried her main pumps K discovered
that the water IN the tanks, which contained over
enoush' SAID f the captain 0: yesteraay ITO
boil an egg" Captain Lachere readily sur:
missed mis- that the ship must Be fun Of
longer on board generously invited Captain Wyman
and his crew to the Charles. Thinking perhaps
noating cauldron Captain Wyman inquired whether
he should bring some provisions, but Captain La
DANGEROUS TO OPEN Any DOORS
before leaving the ship. declined the OFFER and
taking only few sails and ropes prepared to quit
Of the Charles, consisting OF Randolph Schultz
second mate; Edward Depauri, william JASPER
the rescue OF those OF their brethren on the A. B.
Wyman: There was very heavy swell AZ the time;
m nGm 'h de
Having examined everything Captain Lachere,
after two hours stay, prepared to leave the snip.
THE LAST SCENE
was frightful to behold. The ship lay rocking on
The deep, enyeloped In a huge cloud Of
anticipated. The entire crew OF fourteen
men having been taken OF Captain Wyman went
three OF his men opened the main hatch Out
beiched the flames with 0 roar as II eXulting in
freedom and The work Of connagration was begun.
A RUSH FOR LIFE,
and hurryng down the sides OF the ill-starred ship
her with rapid strokes. It was well they did
30: Ine bales OF cotton partly released burned
with IT terrible rnn rap The smoke MOI haq full ye5
A. b. Wyman the fire had extended to every portion
OF her. The cracking Of the burning timbers, the
fury and noise Of the connagration and the splash.
ing Of spars in the water, they tumbled down in
quick succession are stated to have been something
couple Of cables length apart, and just SO soon as
the rescued party scrambled on board the Charles
that gallant ship squared away to the westward, the
wind being about southwest and the distance
from New York about nine hundred miles. 1t
was perhaps one Of the happiest voyages ever made
escape whose terrors may be recalled with wonder
this YVES one Of them Captain Wyman and his
crew returned their grateful thanks to Captain
Lachefe, ana most worthy did he deserve them.
Indeed, 1t is pleasure to think that grand irater
na philanthropic feeling still, and with ever exist
throughout the world and nowhere has it been more
cnurageously demonstrated than on the rolling bill
lows OF the ocean, The Charles arrived here yester-
day morning IN good shape, and
LANDED THE CAPTAIN AND CREW
Of the A. B. wyman safely on shore. Captain wy
man having made arrangements with his men, pro-
ceeded with the first and second mates TO Boston, TO
which city the ship belonged. She was about S13
tons register, and was built in 1865 by Enoch
Bonner, and at the time OF the disaster had OH
board 700 bales Of cotton. bound for Liverpool from
savannah, which latter place she cleared November
q, and enjoyed fine weather until within few days
Of the burning. Whether 1t was the lightning actli-
ally caused the confagration need not be
questioned, but 1t has been known, in many
instances where those employed to load ships
grease the bales In order to make them fit more
compactly that spontaneous combustion is not I'M
probable consequen, upon the action of the oil upon
the cotton. At the conclusion Of his narrative yes
lerday Captain Lachere strongly advocated
THE USE OF CONDUCTORS.
"No vessel" said he, "shoud 90 to sea without
one But 1t is not the captains fault, since owners
sometimes do not care to go to the expense. In
fact would not insure any ship that has not con-
ductor. not only for the sake OF the ship and cargo
but on account Of the many lives which the absence
OF one endangerS"
s HIPPIM G. NEWS.