The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-22
THE BURNING OF THE SHIP
HAGERSTOWN.
$500 Bales Of Cotton Damaged.
Loss $15O,OOO.

Tuesday night was marked by the visitation
of one of the severest thunder storms that
has occurred here in quite long time-years
probably. It burst upon us quite late, about
the hour of midnight, and the belated and
those who were startled from their beds by
the startling crashes which followed every
flash of the vivid lightning, describe it as one
of the most magnificent pyrotechnical dis
plays ever beheld.
1t may have been particularly sublime, but
it was very generally admitted to be, at the
same time. equally dangerous-a fact which
detracted very materially from the enjoyment
that might otherwise have attended the
scene.
The danger of the situation was evinced
when, at $50 o'clock Wednesday morning.
the ship Hagerstown, lying at the head. of St.
Mary street, Fourth District, was struck by
lightning and set on fire. 1t was not at first
discovered that the ship had been Struck but
it appears to have been fully appreciated tn al
the stroke fell in close proximity to her.
Possibly an hour elapsed before it was dis
covered that the vessel was on fire, and imme-
diately the alarm was given, whereupon OFF,
Ger Corners, On duty in that vicinity, turned
in all alarm, which shortly brought several
fire engines to the place. Upon the arrival Of
the engines, smoke was emerging rapidly
| through the forward hatch, and it was ascer-
tanned that fire, located among the cotton
bales, just beneath the forecastle, had made
rapid aud alarming Roadway.
| Several streams Of water were turned upon
the blazing bales, but apparently to no pur-
pose Shortly thereafter repeated and then
q general alarm was given, which summoned
to the scene the greater portion of the Fire
Department, when there ensued the most
strenuous efforts to obtain the mastery over
the flames. The tugboat Tyler and two other
tugs, provided with immense pumps, ranged
alongside the ship, and poured into her hold
volumes of water. The decks Immediately
over the site of the fire we're cut away to give
free access to the streams from the various
fire engines on the wharf
After several hours of incessant pumping,
there was thought to be sufficient quantity OF
water in the ship to prevent spread of the
flames aft, and accordingly it was concluded
to keep it that stage, in pursuance of which
several engines were appointed to discharge
water from the rear matches of the vessel
while others Piled their streams upon the
burning cotton through the forward hatch,
and the holes cut in the deck in that vicinity.
| All the while many Of our iremen, who
were assigned to duty in the hold of the ship,
worked devotedly, SO devotedly, in fact, that
that half q dozen of them, whose names we
could not obtain, were nearly suffocated, and
received quite serious injury.
Il was said last evening that one of the
men was in very critical condition. At q
late hour last evening the fire was Still bum
ing, but was confined exclusively to the cot
ton in the forward part of the ship, and hopes
were entertained that during the night the
efforts of the fremen would prevail in their
attempt to suppress it completely.
The decks were burned quite badly, and it
was thought that the body of the ship in that
region was somewhat damaged, but to what
extent was wholly impossibly to ascertain.
About five hundred bales of cotton have
been taken from the hold in perfect condi-
ton, the balance of the cargo being injured
more or less. Her cargo consisted Of $500
bales of cotton, consigned to parties in
Havre, and is wholly covered, it is said, by
insurance in foreign Offices.
! Our fremen gained valuable experience
in their work on the illfated ship Ailsa, which
burned and was lost at the head Of Sixth
street last year, and if the Hagarstown is
Il 10 rod
tain, it may be attributed to this, and to the
fact that entire control Of the matter was
given into their hands.
The vessel was listed to the larbord consid-
erably last evening, but as she was moored
quite securely, no apprehensions were enter
tanned on that account, and from the outlook,
it is probable she may escape with damage
aggregating fifteen thousand dollars.
Concerning the misfortune, it is said by the
officers that the lightning struck the foretop.
mast and was thence conducted by the fore
topmast wire stay, to the bowsprit, whence il
was communicated by the chains which
steady it to the interior of the ship.
The foretopmast is badly disfgured by
the stroke; no other marks being visible.
The Hagerstown is an American ship o.
1890 tons burden, and was launched last No
vember, this being her first trip.
She is owned by James NJ. Hager, of Rich
, mond, Maine, and is valued at one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars, upon which, it il
l said, there is no insurance. She is one of thu
largest sailing ships that has entered this por
: since the war, and had on board one of tn.
. largest cargoes that has been cleared from thi'
5 city during that time.
She is commanded by Captain Call, ant
had cleared for Havre, intending to leave yes
terday. The entire loss sustained is est
} mated at one hundred and fifty thousand dol
lars
The alarm turned in last evening, at
: o'clock, was to summon relief of fremen, t,
: whom was assigned the duty of taking charg
of the fire during the night.
, A FRENCH SToRY.-An the people in
: Paris house were startled one night by q tire
mendous noise made in an upper apartment
, Rushing to the doors they saw q man. comin
s down four steps at tune. He was arrested
: half dead with fear. He was . thief, ha
+ made his way in with false key, and, feelin
i his way about thef apartments from room