The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-12-21

at rs p. II. Absccom bore northwest; ate:s5 !. ~
Little Egg Harbor bore northwest by west al about
ten miles distance. About this time an alarm Of nro
was gwen" The rest OF the nights dreadful expo
ricnce is best detailed by tho crew Al The hrss cry
OF "Firc" tho men mustered. prepared 70
meet tho threatened danger, and, u possible,
avert II. There hustle, no needless ex-
cmemenI Tho officers gave ,he', 0r mss
seemed disposed 10 execute them without delay
and without buncling But somehow u wa. :
came curing up from the seams Of tho deck and en-
voopcd the cabin and lower quarters IN dense.
murky volume of vapor, there seemed TO DO no
means OF determining whence It issued except
BY venturing INTO the hold and searching In the very
heart OF tha' sunocating cloud and 10 me more con-
Man after man made tho attempt ana
retired half smo.hcred and wholly dishearienod.
and stlll the Are seemed gaining Roadway,
eating It's way through the woodwork ana consuming
the cargo and tho stores which were crowded oeow.
werc put 10 uso and tho nam engine stopped.
Tho smoking deck was deuGed win water and
Gus opening that kept vomiting forth It's thick black
vapors ard In which, by hts and starts, urd shred
OF lame now showed itself THO men worked Win
will and for . timo seeTcd perfectly cool
and collected, but when The fire burst out from the
after part OF the iorenold aud red sheet Of flame
rose INTO the air panic for time seemed IN
ev,tabc. The officers, however behaved manfullv
and strove TO MAINTAIN discipline, even ~
y moment so trying, and their efforts were re-
fort put forward 10 stem The devourng cle
meni, and the sailors scorched by mo hapes ana
OF fire that was every moment shot from below ma
with desperate resolution 70 smother IT, But
IL was now too laic The flames had swept through
tho entire fore quarter aud all thc interior had
crumbcd into ashes, leaving only smell 10
heard sudden cracking and the woodwork around
them sprang into ilamc. while torrent OF hre ana
: :S.a. sy.iwDs so~n ne upon rhey
however, in cxtricaiine themselves from tneir
pcrilous position and Joined their mates above 10
last. forlorn effort to savo tho ship II was utterly
vain, however, and tho men now saw that they
must look to their lives The boats were
s sr 'A order none swsy was
gwen the IRE burst out am:dships, swallowed up tho
deck houses and enveloped tho whole vessel rom
stem TO stern. But forty minutes had passed since
the alarm OF IRE given, but in that tne the DC.
ssruction was complete, ana when the crew ro"ea
ESCAPE FROM rHK SHIP
Captain +. NJ. Fairclotn had directed the futile
s ss.s,,. wan tho nnns' 10 ana subas
at the same time giving instructions ior
the boats to be kept well together and tho men to
relieve one another at the oars Tho steamer New
York. which had been passing at some as.
tance sighted the burning vessel and It now
hove in visw. oGers Of assistance were
rendered by Captain Quick, but the Huntsvliles
crew kept on their course Till midnight, when they
were picked up oy the Washington ON board n ,ns
passed the following resolution
wo tho undersigned officers and crew. OF the steamshp
Huntsville to tender
tain Quick. OF the steamship New York, for staying
by and rendering us sucn assistance as was ~
his power TO give. We also make our grateful
Captain Dicksrson OF piloboat WASH
No. % picking and showing many acts
oil Kindness way 20 New York.
This is signed by all the hands saved.
The Huntsville a wooden vessel OF !, 100 tons
register She built IN this city in 1857 by Messrs.
Westervelt Sons Tor Samuel Mchels limo OF So
vannah and New York steamers. She has traded be-
tween this city and Southern and West Indian PORTS
and at,ery ran regularly between New York and Sa-
vannah.