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

The British steamship baltimore, which
cleared at Baltimore for London on Saturday,
Nov. Is, having on board 308 beef cattle aud
cargo Of canned goods, tobacco, corn and
wheat, valued at sos, 40, returned to Locust
Point a. O'Clock Sunday morning, with
Capt. Henry Rowies, the commander, dead,
aud the loss Of about 100 cattle. The steamer
left Baltimore on the 18th and 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, ll0 on the upper deck and 2jS
between decks. The steamship, headed ocean
wards, shipped much water on Thursday, but
all was we'll until night set in, when the wind
increased to a hurricane. The waves del.
uged the ship and the decks were 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,
tieally 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 ia
water to their bellies; some we're drowned and
others died Of suifocalion after the matches
were tightly battered down. A tremendous
sea, shipped at 5.36 p. NJ. on Thursday,
swept off the cattle sheds ind 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 time at his
post on the bridge. Mr.. Thompson, the boat.
swain, had been attending TO duties about the
ship. At 1890 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 aloft
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 alof 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 seered badly,
and the stokers and engineers in tn engine
room had been to the armpts in water. The
fires were in danger Of being put out, In this
NJ. lan T.
duty, ordered the steamer TO be put about
This was at one O. clock Friday morning. The
steamer on returning passed the capes nj Il
O'Clock Saturday morning, and signaled the
station at Cape Henry that the decks had been
swept and the captain killed. This news was
telegraph to Baltimore, and Mr.. IL. o. Haugh.
ton, the agent, took steps to give prompt re.
lief. He secured the tug Gunby, and with
DR.. L. 4. Coke to attend the injured, N. p.
Smith, stevedore, Capt. Parry, q ike steam.
ship Qrehis, and ten men, LEFT TO meet the
Rathmnre. The steamer was encountered of
Sandy Point, and came up to port with flag
at half.mast.
The upper deck Of the steamer was 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 a
siege, and were altogether different from the
sleek, tat animals Of a week before. The
Baltimore was met at quarantine by the save
nue. steamer 4nthFis, aud Carl II. d. Hall,
eAstoDa boarding officer, rendered every ia.
ciliy for immediate docking and discharging
Deputy Surveyor Caulk was sent for, and the
Ralhmore went in to pier 81, Locust Point,
where preparations wsre made 10 re.embark
tho surviving cattle, the poor beasts sadly
naaltnU aaA firm fnnftnn On Nr7 LAID af
ter their shaking up.
The cattle we're raised and shipped by Mr.
w. Alex. Stewart, of Russell county, South
west Virginia, and were in charge of Isaac
Roberts and IL other Virginia drovers, all
young men from the neighborhood Of Mr.
SFewerts home. or Ihese only RabeFts and
one other had crossed the Atlantic. The
others were green hands, who had never been
to 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 tho Fsst we're
Smothgrad. On Saturday quite 4 number of
dead animals were thrown overheard, and
half dozen Sunday. Some had thor legs
broken In the stalls and were othorwlae brnis
90, and the whole lot had tallen OH decidedly
10 appearance. 1t was stated that the cattle
were insured at q good figure.
The Baltimore, il was believed, had sus.
tanned no injury to the hull, aud the cargo is
safe and sound. The upper works of the
steamer received no damage of moment. The
body Of Capt. Rowles was taken in charge by
lHaertAkeFs, and will ha eMhalmed and sent
home by the steaneF. Capt. Rowels was 55
years q age, belonged to Chester, Eng, and
had been steamship commander since 1856.
Chief officer Mitchell did not give up duty un
I'll nearly qp 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 aud crew numbered SO
men, together with IL cattle drivers. The
baltimore is an iron steamer, less than yea
old, Of 1900 tons, aud 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,
saatad in the Enpshipe on bales Of soaking
hay, were singing !.Tlie little log Cabin ia the
lane, and an we're sapfemely happy at get.
ting safely back.