The Portland daily press., 1876-08-08
Fire on a Yarmouth Bark,

A New1York special says that on July 25 the
bark Mary Bars of Yarmouth, from Boston
for Barbados, with full cargo of shocks in
the hold and heavy deck load of mules and
sheep, put into the East river after having ex.
perienced almost perilous voyage. The bark
started from Boston on July 10, and for three
days she made good headway without exper-
iencing any difficulties. The animals on board
were packed together in an enclosed pen, with
sufficient room to move about, and between the
pen and the poop were stored the bales of hay
and straw, and water barrels. On the third
day, when the vessel was under full sail, one of
the sailors in passing the place where the hay
was stored dropped spark from his pipe 1t
ignited the hay, but as he thought the fire was
at once extinguished, and as be had been vio-
lating tie rules, he did not mention the circum-
stance for fear of punishment. Unfortunately
the fire had not been entirely extinguished, but
smouldered during the afternoon and till the
following night, when the mate gave the alarm
that the vessel was on fire.
The watch was set and every precaution TAX
en-, while most vigorous efforts were made to
discover the source of the smoke. Several
bundles of smouldering hay were thrown over
board The wind was high and famed the
smoking hay into flames, and filled the air with
sparks. The cattle on beard became frantical-
ly excited, and for time the men were almost
panic striken. The timbers of the cattle pen
were the next to catch fire. and this maddened
the mules and sheep. The mingled noise of
braying mules and bleating sheep the crack
ling of burning timbers, and the shouting of ex-
cited men as they battled bravely with the
flames, is described as being frightful in the
extreme. Mauy of the mules broke loose and
ran frantically about the deck, creating fright
full confusion, and ultimately leaping into the
sea. Mony Of the sheep were roasted to DEATH
and before the flames were got under control
the vessel had sustained serious damage. A
sailor named Gibbs was seriously burned, and
he and another OF the men are now In Bellevue
Hospital. On the morning of the 18th the full
extent of the damage to the vessel was discov-
cred, and it was at once resolved to run for New
York. Her subsequent adventures illustrate
the old saying that miSfortunes never come
singly. When off Fire Island, July Goth, the
unfortunate bark was run into by steamer.
| The bowsprit and jib-boom were smashed, and
her bows stove in. The sailors say the steamer
was crowded with people and no attempt was
made to render any assistance TO the untortu-
nate men on board the bark. Itwas with great
| difficulty that she managed to reach the East
| river.
The Mary Bars is about 800 tons burden.
| She had lost her topmast and the ropes are
| all burned and the canvas useless. Inc yards
| are badly burned and large hole was burned
| in the bow. The shedding structures between
| the fore and mainmasts, in which the animals
| were confined are burned almost to clnder;
| her timbers are scorched and the bowsprit is
reduced to a mere stump of wood. The vessel
| is now undergoing repairs at pier No. 49, The
| cargo was consigned to Trowbridge & Co., of
! Bridgetown, Barbados.