The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-11
BURNED AT SEA.
The American Ship Sunbeam DESTROYED on tIi g
Pacifc-Moments of Horror-The Vessel
Sinks within Twenty Minutes-The Crew
Leap into the Sea and Six are Lost.

Leap into the Sea and Six are Lost.
Tidings Of another terrible disaster Of the deep
at hand and its horrors akin to the many stories OF
suffering and death that OF late have been chrouI-
cled of the oceans cad vagarie1 1t the fate OF
Sbeisea Wassachnsetts hut at tba tina naI o1I IN IN
the Pacific Ocean trade-to be the victim of the lat
ter disaster on the 3lst OF March last she de-
stroyed by fire eighty miles from Shore and bat
twelve OF a crew or eighteen saved.
Captain Joseph Chadwick and his son, o youth
of about ten years, of the lost ship, came to New
York yesterday from Aspinwall, by the steam
ship Arizona.
THE sUNBEAM's LAST VOYAGE.
The Sunbeam loaded in the harbor of Iquiqui,
Peru, during the latter part of February and first
week in March, with saltpetre, bound for Tome,
Chile, for which port she sailed on the 18th of
March, the officers and crew expecting a short
and pleasant voyage. The day passed
with favorable winds, and it seemed that their
wish would find a Joyous realization, as the
sturdy vessel made rapid strides towards her
destination. Nothing occurred to mar the plea
sure anticipated of quickly reaching Tome until
the 30th of March, they being seventeen days
ont. " len the second mate, usually cautious
mariner, by an act devoid of prudence, caused
the picture of contentedaess to suddenly change
to one Of dismay and death.
AN OPEN LIGHT.
About noon of the latter date this officer, de-
sirous of giving the upper deck little neater
appearance, suggested to tie captain that he
| intended 10 varnish it, Which meeting his ap-
|
| and descended TO the afterhold where the article
desired was conveniently slowed, and attempted
| to draw it; but it the last act of ships duty
| he ever did, as the flames of the lamp coming in
| contact'with the fumes of the flowing varnish q
| terrific explosion occurred, and the demon fire
| with hundred hands was working destruction
| on every side. In an instant it seemed to per-
| wade the entire hold and before the frightened
and burned mate, with his clothes on fire, could
| reach the deck.
| EXPLOSION AFTER EXPLOSION
was heard as the fire licked up the infammable salt
petre, and the danes danced with gee up the hatch
| way So sudden did the terrible truth break upon
the crew that for moment they were paralyzed,
but, looking around and realizing that beneath
tongues of their enemy were working to every part
of the vessel, creeping through the decks and climb
ing the masts they must act. 1t was critical
MEN LEAPED INTO THE SEA
and attempted to cling to the spars and boards they
had already thrown overheard, but In vain for many
| OF them. In ten minutes from the ignition OF the
varnish the mainmast was topping, and In fifteen
ing, drowning men chung with lie in view
OF its charred remains. Whea this had gone
foremast fore MAJ Captain CHADWICK took his little son in
his arms and jumped over the side into the ocean.
saved his and his sons lives So terrible was the
the heat at this time that the faces OF some OF the
men by the ships side were blistered aud cooked
and thus TO change their positions and place the
backs to the burning mass six poor fellows dropped
exhausted, and sank to rise no more.
GOING DOWN.
Twenty minutes from the irst explosion the Sun
beam sank from sight. IL was fearful how the hr
still Kept creeping through the vessel Varnsh ant
satpetTe, thousands OF sacks OF the latter sent TIN
wicked darts OF fire upward and around. Mast afto
mast fell, and about ten minutes past IL o'cloc
p. M. on the slst OF March last, In latitude thirt
degrees fortyfour minutes about eighty miles iron
shore, the last busbling hiss was heard and tn
noble craft OF an hour before was thing OF thu
: past
THE WHALING BARK CHARLES W. MORGAN,
Captain Athern, then on cruise having seen tn
: fire miles away, bore down to their position an
: took them on board, subsequently landing them a
Tslcahuano Chile. Frem this place the party mad
their way up to Panama
TIE LOST AND SAVED.
; or the saved, twelve in number, hut four name
l are known-Captsin Chadwick, his son, IT, III. Re
e | berts and Marshal johnson. None Of the names
the six lest nave been divulged. They were tn
second mate, carpenter, steward, and three seameI
Perhaps their tragic fate may never be ascertatne
o by their friends
THE SHIP sUNBEAM-HER OWNERS.
:, The shin Sunbeam was built in Chelsea, Mass.
1860 she was Of oak and fastened with copper an
/, iron. She had two decks, drew elghteen leet {
: water when loaded, and was is9 IONS ouroon, 81
c was owned by Messrs. Augustus heha"ay * 20
" It is understood that Captain Chadwick and Sc
II left this city for their home Ia MASSACHUSETTS la
10 night.
Another Burning Vessel.
20 20 Captain Iingley, of the British brlg Leon
40 ten days from MatanZas, arrived In New 1oi
last evening, and reported that on the lst lns'
ID in the Straits of Florida he saw vessel on hr
tn He could not get close enough to distlnguii
er what she was, but she seemed to be laden WI
n cotton. At the time a vessel was lying near he
sr- and in his opinion the crew were in all prob
he bility saved.
,st FINE ATION N II NJ !