Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-09-10
Burning of the Bienville.


burning oI the niensille.
The CAPTAIN of the steamer Bienyille
m.Loo N. f,,lor;nc s.,,on.;u ,a,o.;, 20
-, <,
'ne ues'iue'ion Vi 'na' 'essei anu 'he astehu-
ant calamities
81 have to report the total loss by fire of
the chartered steamship Bienyille. under NV
command, on the evening of Aug. 18th, at
sea, in latitude 25 degrees - minutes north
longitude "a degrees is minutes west by ac-
count. At S:45 A. M. Auq. 18th. the off .
GERS of the watch called me. and reported
that the ship was on fire in the torehoid.
gave the order to call the crew to fire QUAR-.
| tiers quietly, and have the pumps started and
the steam turned on to the fire extineuisbers
leading into the forehold and forward freight
room. at the same time keannv tho chin "a,
before the wind, hauling down the head sails
leaving the head of the lib M. and stonn;no
the engine. had the hose led down - ,he
forehatch and one of the matches talon ofT
and made an attempt to get below with the
water. but the volume of smoke was So great
that had to close the hatch immedatelv
then had the water led to the forward van,,lo.
tor. and started il below. at the same time
having the matches battened over win rat
awnings and everything closed helew. 4 few
minutes after startinl the wafer tho stsam
pumps were disabled nv breaking tho worL.
| mo arm and onr snnnlv If watar ar,;r,,1
Ont off from that source 7 ,ben da,aobaJ
the chief and second oficers 70 have ths hna,s
nrenared for saving tho nossengers ond ora,r
The remainder of the crew not so emnloved
did all tbav copld with tho bo,a nrn,,ts ~,
Arc hrcko,. in oor;nrot;on ,.;,h
fire extinpuishers 70 keen the Arc aown T
lowered four boats and dronned them astern
with boat keepers in thsn, monn;nn tha 49,
|
forward davis. and wa,ere5 and nrov;s;onad
them all. and took the dinoev pr smaIIss,
boat aft on the onar,er dect bod f,ll
supplv of life nreservers sorvod - oil ~
passengers. and extra ones On tho omo-,ar
deck for anv one who NIGH raouire tbam
also had extra nrov;sions and wa,ar nlooed sc,
ON the oua rter deck Ar ( 40 NJ conIa
discover nothing coming from below Int
steam. and was in homes that tho f;re woe an
far smothered that wonld he ep,hled m ron ch
| Watlino's Island tban distant about cs n,;Ias
by account. had two of the heats bo;s,ed
! at the after davis and was nranar;ng 70 bois,
the others. At this time I had coffee and
bread nrepared and served ont to the n.ssen-
gers, who were all collected on the after deck
| The passengers were greatly alarmed at these
measures. and by nv telling them that I
| hoped to be able to overcome the Gre and npt
it out. While these preparations were max.
| ing went forward. and in q short time dis
covered that the FIRE was making its way
through both sides of the ship lust abreast of
| the boiler | then knew that all efforts to
save the ship, with the steam pumps broken
down and no water from that source would
be hopeless.
| l then gave the order to beo;n disem.
tbarkinp the pa,senoer. pIac,no in the larger
boats the GROVE a, nv disnosoI and
then DIVIDING the women ard rb;ldr.r as
equally as possible in each boat. and nlacno
as MANY messengers in each as indoed q far
load and then direct;ng them n shove off and
Law bv the shin for fnr,har ordars Two hoats
were safely loaded and sent off. The
third one was loaded and also sent off but
by the carelessness or worse of one of the
crew, was caught under the counter Of the
ship, capsized and stove at the same time
Ali the people from her were rescued and
placed in another boat, and sent off, The first
boat sent off was yery moderately loaded
but now had to put heavier loads in the
boats, intending to re.distribute them after
wards. AHA. NJ. | found that all the boats
had beep loaded and cont Off fron, tho sb;r
except the dingey and one of the smaller
uuarter.boats. neither of which was n life.
boat, and that | still had more persons on
board than these boats could hold. | loaded
the dingey, sending the ships bows and some
BOYS from the steerage and few other mas
sengers in her, and placed her under the
charge of Mr.. Harger, the chief officer, d.
rectDg him to distribute a part of them and
then to return to the ship for those still re-
naming on board. He succeeded in boarding
two of the boats and putting three persons in
| each of them. BY that time the flame had
swept so far aft and the heat had become so
intense that had to signal for his return.
On the return of this boat put all the re-
naming persons on board. At I 80 A. M. hav-
ing seen every person safely embarked from
the ship and the flames having burst from the
cabins and all forward of that left the shin
in the same boat. Soon after Mr.. Harger
communicated with the large life boat She
filled and capsized The wind had now fresh
ened, and the sea was increasing. The boats