The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-03-05
THE TORNADO.
A. TO THE CAUSE
AND PROGRESS or THE FIRE.
Held Before A. de q. de F0nblanGue,
W.. british EDnRMl.

a The Court stated scope ana extent Oh the
inquiry which was substantially to ascertain
the origin Of the casualty or series Of casu-
nIties, and whether tho master or other per
son connected with tho ship be to blame for
either the origin of the casualty or any OF the
consequences. The first witness examined
WAS
CAPT. VIM. II. ELLrs.
Am master of the British ship Tornado;
she Is Of 1920 tons burden, registered al Lv-
erpooI, No. 45,426; was built OF Williamsburg,
New York in 1852; is o good wooden ship; ts
eIassed In the American record as A1H, ]
think, for three years; this classification has
Just been made here She arrived here on the
tenth Of January in ballast; ! superintendent
the discharging Of the ballast, composed OF
sand. Saw the whole interior OF the ship
frequently after the ballast was discharged,
uever found any fire or scorching Of any
kind; began TO load on January 26. Witness
introduced the ships private log, proposing
to offer same IN evidence Mr.. Robt Williams
cargo engaged was only cotton, except Q few
slaves for dunnage; lived on board ship; was
on board every night; IN town from 10 TO .
o'clock In the div.
At the time the fire took place there were
about 5000 bales Of cotton aboard. The fire was
discovered between and o'clock Sunday
morning. February a. She was not char
tered ship tho stevedore loading the vessel
was Geo. Candy. Have copies Of the bills of
lading which / signed. Produced them,l
Had perceived nothing to Indicate the pres
ence Of fire from the time oil unloading until
Sunday, February a. at about $50 o'clock
". m, when ! heard some ono cry that tho
ship was on fire. then sent word to the
engine-house across the street to sound the
alarm. The ship was moored alongside the
wharf, ut post %, Third District. Nothing
was done until the arrival Of the engines,
some ten or fifteen minutes later. There
sHas q black smoke. smelling like cotton,
Issuing from the main hatch. Some eight OF
tsn engines came, and went to work pumping
water into the Inain hatch. They worked
about an hour, when the steam iretug Pro
side the Tornado, and, under an arrangement
made by me with tho captain of the Pro-
tectur, the matches were closed the gas forced
Into the hold Of the vessel, and the engines
tector said before he went 70 work that ho
could put out the fire in ten minutes. and that
til forty minutes we could go to work unload
ing; ! knew nothing Of the action of the gas,
j arrangement with the captain of the Protec-
ter lie remained there some six or seven
hours, during all which time he told me- he
was putting gas into the vessel; at the end Of
that time the main hatch was opened and the
\ diver sent down. Before the gas cleared away,
80 as to allow work on the cargo, the fire was
burning again as iiercely as ever. | then
called tho engines again, and began TO pump
winter into the hold they worked until night.
Tho smoke seemed to be about the same at
night as when they went to work. The holes
were cut in tho deck by my order at the time
tho engines went to work tho second time, In
order 70 get at the fire. The matches and
holes ;a A. the deck ag were GSsed at night
kpt on all night; 1t was put on
sss,e second time in pursuance OF my original
with the captain of the Pro-
sfslgtnr. The smoke was coming out of the
saiilp all night, and In tho morning, by my
snr6ar, after consult ltion with Chief O'Oonnor
sthe agents and others, tho matches were
snpanea and the engines once more put to
WON'T and as soon as we could work. on ac-
decks and breaking out the cargo, in hope Of
sretting at the fire. We worked all Monday
Sniglr arsd I'LL day Tuesday. when the fire got
ssHacal headway, that | determined to fill her;
put on the tug boats and Protector to fill her,
sand did I'LL her within three feet.
/ then ordered them to go to work and
pump her out. There was some little fire
aeHat a The Snd shR f dS o and beams eaa but
three engines at work on that, and the ship
being In danger Of sinking. / immediately set
the tugs to work pumping hor out to save her
from sinking They pumped out until they
order, they ell abandoned her / hailed them
and asked them TO come back, but they would
not do 90. Tho Protector was one Of them. l
then got two shipmasters Capt. Cam and
and persuade them TO come tick, but they did
not come. | then said she had to sink, and
made all possible preparation to hold
her to the. wharf with extra chains
he b ass he'd from The eapaan
could slack them. She filled and sunk about
Soclock; she sunk to her main rail. She was
not quite down to the level of the water when
the tugs left her; there were more or less
with the water thrown by the city engines
filled her to the level of her scuppers, and the
river did the rest We went to work the next
sday, and sent down divers to stop the holes
with the Protector and four other tugs to
pump her out for raising; afterwards three
other tugs joined them, making eight in ALL
This was an entirely new arrangement. By
o'clock m the afternoon the divers pronounced
her ready for raising. and the tugs went to
work they gained about six inches, and there
stuck oil night; next morning the divers
found and stopped more holes and by 81
O'Clock her upper decks were out of water
TO discharge the cargo: at 3 o'clock in the
AFTERNOON the tugs had gotten out all the
water they could reach and then got four
engines to work. then two. and now only one
Since the tugs finally left her we have been
have no idea as to the origin OF the fire.
Have formed no opinion as to whether 1t was
accidental or otherwise. Our rule has been
to have the matches closed and tarpaulins
4iuSSu wv. ui,il uIs SVoH rs Tie SGEtWtDeU
knocked off work Do not allow my men to
smoke at work. Have never seen the steve
3 cores or screwmens men smoking at work.
Suppose | have had some cotton living on the
levee ten days before loading, some perhaps a
Fortnight Can't say exactly how much, prob
ably 100 bales. 1t was covered up, and John
Green, one OF my crew. was in charge of it at
night. The cotton came from different presses
and much, | think, from Memphis and Mo-
bile already pressed. The mate tailed the
cotton on board, and his tally-book will show
from what presses 1t came There was no
the fire started, except through the matches,
no smoke coming from anywhere else, until it
burst The first holes in the deck were cut
near the main hatch, as we thought the fire
began, and was worst there. There was no
lock or fastening on tho matches when closed
nut there was one man always on watch at
night, who generally had his position on the
MtaEgn MlnrA he d,d vi. q LII