Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-07-08

| saf<-I heir Arrival Ia this ClrY-ThS
| Vessel Burned I" she waters Kdsr-Car-
60 Total Loss
Oar community was startled yesterday
morning fy the information that the new
steamship Tennessee, ofthe Clyde Steamers,
plying between Charleston and New York,
mad been destroyed by fire on the beach,
some 80 miles below Cape Fear. With the
rumOr was coupled the statement that the
U. $. revenue cutter W. H. Seward had
gore to tho assistance of the steamer, and
wonld probably return during the after
noon. The Seward reached here about A
O'Clock, bringing with her cargo of hu-
maa freight who had fortunately escaped
with their lives bnt with the loss Of all Of
their baggage. 20 MIR. Edward T. Under
hill. of New Yolk, who was n passenger On
the steamer, are we indebted for the fol
lowing detailed account.
The Tennessee left Charleston for New
York, at about o'clock Tuesday evening
last, with 773 bales cotton, 400 bblS. rosin
$50 boxes vegetables, 377 bbls. potatoes,
and some other minor articles and some 53
passengers, Is Of whom were Ildies.
About o'clock on Wednesday morning
smoke was discovered issuing from the
forward hold, where a quantity CT fsed
cotton was slowed. The steamer was at
this time about forty miles East north
| east OF Cape R0maln, and between twenty
five and thirty miles from tho shore. AS
So00 as tho discovery was made the Gtoam
! pumps were set TO work and i'll q few
minutes Il hand pump was put IN motion,
Also. and SIX streams of WNt0r and steam
jets from the boiler were turned into the
: 4
uGted. But within twenty minutes the
fire had gained so much hcadway that the
flames burst through the lower hatch and
the vessel was III imminent danger of
destruction lnct1ectual efforts were made
TO put down the matches, and in the
cxigency tho sails were unbent from the
spans, and after being wet were put over
the open hatch below and the upper hatch
way was put down. With the hold shut
off from the air and SIX streams of water
ana constant volume OF steam thrown
into the hold. the prospect seemed good
Tor obtaining Il mastery Of tho flames. The
few passengers III the forward state
rooms were awakened by the nOisc created.
These prudontly kept quiet until the
flames bnrat through tho lower hatch. -
Then the remainder were quietly awakened,
and after furnishing themselves with life
preaeryers, patiently, thUngh with somc
alarm, aWjted the result. In the mean
time the SIX boats Of the steamer were
cleared and everything Wa3 put IN rendi- |
ness for the passengers anG crow to leave
the vessel, ii it should become necessary |
For some time the hot steam passed. from |
the lower hold through the Water-tight !
bnlkhead into the boiler and engine rooms, |
and thongh the engineers were noarIy Guf~ |
located they remained at their posts ami |
kept the engines in motion. An hour sub
seduently. when the flames had been |
somewhat checked, they cOuld attend to |
their duties with Ies8 discomfort.
When tho fire was discovered, the course |
of the steamer was changed to North |
north west, and ut abOut 6 O'Clock, Ill the |
morning she neared the shore and thence |
steamed up the coast at distance Of a |
third of a mile. But herEspeed was ma
terially slackened by reason of the largo |
amount of steam which was used to keep |
tho fire IN check. 4 large volume of water |
had been poured into the hold, causing |
the bow to lower some two feet Iii the sea- |
AS day dawned many OF the gentlemen |
passengers volunteered their aa3ibtance in |
working the hand pumps and rendered |
Valuable service.
From outward appearances, about 81
O'Clock A. NJ, tho fto was again getting |
the asc6ndancy. The hot steam was once |
more coming through into the boiler and |
engine rooms, making it difficult for the |
engineers to breathe ana nearly binding |
them with the intense heat. Later. fears |
were entertained that the flames had got |
between decks, and with these indications |
it was deemed important to put the pas
sengers ashore where their lives, al least, |
were safe. At II o'clock, when the steam |
er had arrived short distance above Lit
tie River and thirty miles South of Cape |
Fear, che was run head on to the beach |
and at once scnttled as the only hope of
saving her. She grounded in ton feet of
water, with the tide very near the close
of the cbb.
Four boats were then manned and the |
passengers were taken to the beach, where |
subsequently Il tent was improvised from "a
sail to afford shelter from the heat AID |
rain.
At II O'Clock NJ Mr.. Underhill and the |
pilot of the steamer, Mr.. Davenport, left
in small boat to look for assistance. They
came up the shore, distance of 80 miles, |
to Smithville, which place they reached
at Z. M. They there found the Revenue
Gutter W. 81. Seward, and Capt. Usher, !
hearing of the particulars, promptly got
mp steam and ut II O'Clock at night, start
ed for the burning steamer, which they
reached at daylight yesterday morning
They found nothing left of her but the |
hull, from the smOuldering wood work Of
which proceeded an immense volume Of
smoke. The passengers We're ait on the
shore and as comfortable as circumstances
would permit, after having passed the |
night on IA barren sand beach. From |
them Mr.. Underhill learned that after the
pilot and himself had left for assistance, |
at III the evening the smoke began to |
issne through the npper deck, and the yes
sci was abandoned. Capt. Chichester and |
his crew having worked noblv until then |
in the endeavOr TO secure CANVASS and
spars for tents and bedding and provis- |
ions 1t was Impossible To save the bag |
gage of the passengers, which, with some
slight exceptions, was ali destroyed. AT
8 o'clock tho flames hHrSt from the Ior |
ward upper deck, and at II the entire |
length ot the vessel was u masa Of inrid |
flames, presenting n spectacle OF awful
grandeur.
By O'Clock yesterday morning the pas
sengers and the crew, with the exception |
of Capt. Chichester. the chief engineer |