The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-11-29
A Cattle Steamer ia a Gale.


The British steamship Baltimore, which
cleared at Baltimore for London on Saturday,
Nov. IL, having on board 30S beef cattle and
cargo Of canned goods, tobacco, corn and
wheat, valued at $685. returned TO Locust
Point at O'Clock Sunday morning, with
Capt. Henry Rowles, the commander, dead,
and the loss Of about 100 cattle. The steamer
left Baltimore on the 18th aud went to sea
from the capes next day in rough weather
that preceded the gale, which struck the
Baltimore heavily on Thursday. The cattle
were in pens, 40 on the upper deck and 2jS
between decks. The steamship, headed ocean.
wards, shipped much water on Thursday, but
all was well until night set in, when the wind
increased to a hurricane. The waves del.
uged the ship and the decks we're at times
under water for hours together. One pen Of
cattle after another was swept overheard, and
the poor beasts beloved and moaned, and,
occasionally breaking their lashings, ran fran.
tically hither and thither seeking shelter as
best they could from the fury OF the storm,
which terrified them. Before leaving Balti-
more they had all been comfortably housed
in the pens and tied with halters, facing in
ward from the sides Of the ship When the
gale swept the pens many OF the cattle that
were not lost were torn loose from the stalls
on the upper deck and crowded together in
the waist OF the ship, where the houses served
as some protection, and many were saved.
Between decks the cattle were submerged in
water to their bellies; some were drowned aud
others died of sutfocaton after the matches
were tightly battered down. A tremendous
sea, shipped at 5.35 ?. NJ. on Thursday,
swept of the cattle sheds and many of the
cattle from bridge to forecastle, carrying away
the fore boom and doing the most Of the dam.
age. Capt. Rowles was all the tune at his
post on the bridge. Mr.. Thompson, the boat.
swain, had been attending TO duties about the
ship. At 1920 p. NJ. he went on the bridge,
and not finding the captain gave the alarm,
and all hands were piped to quarters. An
immediate search was made, and the dead
body Of Capt. Rowles was found on the bridge.
A heavy iron ''gin block" suspended aloit
from the cargo pennant, had fallen, the rope
having been severed by the friction upon il,
and, striking Capt. Rowles on the head, had
badly fractured his skull and caused instant
death. An ugly wound extended four inches
across the head. The gin block had been
used in hosting in cargo while in port, and
was in its position aloii above the bridge to
assist in feeding and caring for the cattle.
The baltimore was then two hundred and fifty
miles at sea. Mr.. Mitchell, chief officer, had
been badly injured by fall against the main
boom, and most of the crew were bruised and
severely hurt by the knocking about they had
received. Mr.. Brunker, the second officer,
was the highest ranking uninjured man on
board. The gale was still furious. Most Of
the baled hay and other proyender for the
cattle had been washed overheard or damaged
by the sea water. The ship s,eered badly,
and the stokers and engineers in the engine.
room had been to the armpits in water. The
fires we're in danger Of being put out, In this
emergency Mr.. Mitchell, who remained ON
duty, ordered the steamer TO be put about.
This was at one o'clock Friday morning. The
steamer on returning passed the capes at IL
O'Clock Saturday morning, and sgnaled the
station at Cape Henry that the decks had been
swept and the captain killed. This news was
telegraph to Baltimore, and Mr.. II. o. Haugh-
ton, the agent, took steps to give prompt re-
lief He secured the tug Gunby, and with
DIR. L. e. Coke to attend the injured, N. p.
Smith, stevedore Capt PaFrf, qf lie steam.
ship Qrohls, and ten men, left TO meet the
BALTIMORE. The steamer was encountered off
Sandy Point, and came up to port with flag
at hall. mast.
The upper deck Of the steamer was a sorry
sight. The work Of the waves was seen in
wrecked cattle pens, debris of hay and other
provender and broken lumber. The cattle
looked as though they had been through u
siege, and were altogether different from the
sleek, fat animals Of week before. The
baltimore was met at quarantine by lhs tave-
nue. steamer authFa, aud Capt. II. u. Hall,
customs boarding officer, rendered every IA.
ciliiy for immediate docking and discharging.
Deputy Surveyor Caulk was sent for, and the
Rathmore went in to pier 81, Locust Point,
where preparations were made 10 re.enbark
tho surviving cattle, tho poor beasts sadly
needing rest and firm footing on dry land af-
ter their shaking up.
The cattle were raised and shipped by Mr..
W. Alex. Stewart, Of Russell county South.
west Virginia, and we're in charge Of Isaac
Roberts and IL other Virginia drovers, all
young men from the neighborhood Of Mr..
SieyaFts home, Of Ihesg only Raheyts and
one other had crossed the Atlantic. The
others were green hands, who had never been
10 sea, and they were all used up by sea sick.
ness. Their story was the comic side to the
tragedy on the Baltimore, and the brayest Of
them said that they did not care to make
another venture on the Atlantic. OF the lost
cattle some were swept overheard, and others
drowned between decks and the Fegt we're
Smnoiiherfd nq Saturday quite . number Of
dead animals were thrown overheard, and
half dozen Sunday. Some had their legs
broken In the stalls aud were othorws0 bruis-
ed, and the whole lot had fallen of decidedly
in appearance. II was stated that the cattle
we're insured ut good figure.
The baltimore, 1t was believed, had sus-
tanned no injury to the hull, and the cargo is
safe and sound. The upper works Of the
steamer received no damage Of moment The
body of Capt. Rowlss was taken in charge by
qpdertakers, and will ba eMbalmed and sent
home by the steamer. Capt. Rowels was IS
years Of age, belonged to Chester, Eng, and
had been a steamship commander since 1866.
Chief officer Mitchell did not give up duty un
III nearly VIZ the Chesapeake, He had . rib
or two broken, but his injuries are not dan
gerous, None Of the sailors we're seriously
hurt. The officers and crew numbered 32
men, together with II cattle drivers. The
baltimore is an iron steamer, less than yea
old, Of 1900 tons, and was carefully loaded.
A survey will be made at once. When the
steamer was boarded in the lower harbor Sat
urday morning, the Virginia cattle drivers,
saatHd in the gglshins ~ bales Of soaking
hay, were singing i'1'lie litlle log cabin u the
lane, and an were sdpremely happy at get
ting safely back.