The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-04-30
A NARROW ESCAPE.

CARGO OF SALT IMpREeNATED WITH AR
sENIc-How THE DISCOVERY WAS MADE
FACTS OF THE CASE.
On Marcn the ship Niagara, chartered by Hen
derson Brothers, owners OF the Anchor Steamship
line, sailed from Liverpool, under command OF
Captain McFarlane. She had a cargo OF salt and
arsenic aboard, $50 sacks or the former and 100
barrels OF the latter, besides some other merchan-
disc, principally chemicals. The SAT- was slowed
In the hold OF the vessel ana securely packed, the
arsenic beng in that space OF the ship known as
"between decks.n The Niagara stancn
vessel, having once been Cunard steam
snip, and Is considered fast saller.
on this occasion, however, almost from
the outset OF the voyage, bad weather
set in, and lew days after leaving port the vessel
Was met by frightful hurricane, which laid ner
on bel beam ends tore many Of the sails TO shreds
and AZ length caused The foretopmast TO go by The
board. la tots emergency she horror OF the stu
aron was added 10 b. the fact thas the cargo. IN
part suited, the barrels OF arsenic breaking away
aud at every lurcn of the ship rolling about with
ont any possibility on the part OF the crew, oecu-
ped it was with the fate OF the vessel Itself 70
right matters in the hold. Rolling about from side
10 side many OF the barrels broke open ana scat
tered their contents about the deck. The hatches
were battened down, but this was not enough TO
\ prevent some portion or the huge volumes OF
4 water from getting through the inIerstces
and partly wetlinG what had been scattered
about IL was with infinite difficulty that the
vessel was at length rlghted after the storm had
abated. and she proceeded on her voyage, tho
cargo In the meantime having been liked In place,
but what had been spoiled swept away. The
voyage continued pleasantly Tor some time longer,
until the 24th when the ship met another storm,
only less devastating than me nrst Here again
there some trouble with the cargo, out Moth
! ing TO compare with the nrst time. and only some
arsenic was lost rom the barrels winch had been
! more or less damaged before This was not paid
much attention 10, and, the snip having
the ilrst she arrived IN tue port OF New YORK
OH April 1, bearing the marks. however, OF her
cattle with the elements. me arrival oil the yes
sci had been anXlously awaited mere, and the salt
was broken Immediately and sent by tue parties
I TO wnom II was consigned TO the West, some
reaching Chicago and cincinnati. Captain Nc
I Farlane, busy with other duties, did not remark
4 anything singular in the unloading until sew
4 packed uud seuu away. He then remarked that
V many Of the sacks OF salt appeared 10 oe coated
4 between decksr also had considerable quantity
i OF the same. IL struck mm that TINS
eouid not Oe sa' ana com 1nererore must
suspicion TO Messrs. Henderson, the consgnees or
y the Niagara. They immediately, Tearing disaster,
put themselves IN communication with the
signees OF the salt, OF wnom there we're u number,
aud these gentlemen proceeded to the ship and
examined ne condition ol AFFAIR.". They came 10
\ the conclusion that suspicion OF tue Captain
regarding the contamination OF the arsenic
might possibly be true, as IL became evident to
Y TO Inem that the white powder which coa,ed the
sacks aud lug about the decks was not salt. Under
4 these circumstances IL was decued 10 call In the
service OF q chemist VINO woua report on the mat
ter. In the meantime kilograms were sent
'V %sem e SAT- % had Been ssn
not TO IL under any circumstances until iur-
Their incarnation was obtained. In eacn case
and what might nave oeen Sc ious calamity
was averted. Professor poremus was then called
nnIu Lad al a IN aN~n FnIn At
WHAT PROFESSOR DoREhUs SAYS.
Professor Doremus ia conversation last night
vitatun aud went on board the Niagara Captain
McFarlane was very courteous ana showed MIN
decEsD ana then the nold ana saw how the acct
uent mad happened. IL Was natural enough and
IN sucn weather could not nave neen very
well prevented. lie saw good deal or the
arsenic powder lying around on the decks
ana also noticed me coating ON the
employed HIM that he would put veto on tue
use OF the salt until a thorough examination could
be made oI the salt inside the sacks, To determine
wnetner IL mad been contaminated or not He
tnereupon took the salt 10 ms laboratory and eX-
alnined Il carefully. lie found IN the specimens
what ne considered arsenic, scattered tnrougn
especially tnat portion OF the salt wnicn had oeen
near .Ie sa r. danoenons for edio,s nnrosss
whether It would cause death or not Is a question
+ he would not answer. But u might nave uone 20.
Tnere was no possible danger OF this, noaever, "a
rne use OF tue salt had Ueen Stopped IL was All uf
4 very line quality, Ashton and Marsnafs salts,
/ accident lie supposed that portion of IL would
POSSIBLY have beea good, gu he could not tell
Il what portion aud therefore mad to condemn the
whole IL was not a total loss however, SIS n
mlgnt be used Tor several purposes besides edl-
BILE, 30 preserve SKINS, Tor instance. Is can only
/ De taken as q misfortune IN wnica nobody Is y
Dame.
Tue niagara now lies at pier No a. East River.
and hcr I0pmast 10 still missing. Almost all the
SAT- mas been moved out by this time. hut fun pre-
c. uuons have Deen taken that oy no possibility
the poisoned SAT- or any portion OF AZ can be used
for the purposes Tor which 10 was 1rst destined.
Tne people 10 whom IL was sent we're afterward
nUtIned OI Its dangerous character and some OF II
has already been sent BACK.