Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-12
A BLAZE on sHIPBoARD.

Two Thousand Bales of Cotton Burn
ing on the British Bark ''JOhn Boyd"
The Vessel Cleared and Ready for
Sea When tue Fire was DtseHvereS
The Extent D Damage Unknown
About 10 80 O'Clock las nlgn an alarm
of fire was turned in from station No. 80,
at the Central Cotton Press. After long
run the department located the fire on the
British bark John Boyd, lying at the west
ern end of the wharf OF the Central Cotton
Press, in her cargo Of cotton. The vessel
was ready for sea, and was to have sailed
either this morning or tomorrow,
having cleared on Monday for Havre
with a cargo Of 1000 bales
Of upland cotton, fifty tons Of phosphate
rock and 2,760 barrels slaves, the whole
cargo valued at S9S, 315, and was fully COW
cred by insurance.
The department went to work with
will and Immediately opened all the
matches and every available aperture, so
as TO give the flames plenty OF air. IL
was not until considerable Roadway had
been obtained and the flames had spread
| almost over the entire top Of the cargo that
/ the firemen began to batten down the
/ matches and cut small holes IN the decks,
/ through which the water was forced.
! seven streams were played on the hold,
/ and the vesse was entirely hlled with
] water until her keel gradually settled on
I the bottom Of the river. The fire seemed
/ to be fiercest amidship, and all the energy
| Of the department was directed in
/ that quarter. The flames at times
| burst out of the patches and
/ apertures, almost enYelOping the
/ entire ship, and were accompanied by
! thick volumes of black smoke almost
sitting the firemen at work on the decks.
4 The heat was intense about the mainmast
/ and fOrW ard hatch, and considerable eX-
/ element was created by the report that
/ if the mainmast burned at the base 1t
( would tOpple over upon those on the deck
! Of the vessel or on the wharf, and the pO-
licemen We're busy keeping the crowd
/ back and out of the danger. At O'CLOCK
a. IN. the department had the fire under
| cOntrOlSnd was making preparations for
] breaking OF he cargo. At one time II
/ was decided TO scuttle the vessel, but as
/ soon as che matches were partly battened
down this was found unnecessary. There
| were no fire plugs handy and it was easier
| for the three engines to cast their suctIons
into the river, where they were supplied
| with water.
The origin of the fire is
unknown, as the matches
had been battened down since Monday
| afternoon. and the vessel was fully pre-
| pared for sea. The mate, Foster, was on
duty at the time the fire was 4 scOvered.
| He said that he had just gone into his
| cabin from the deck for the purpose of
| lying down, when mis- dog whined and
attracted his attention. The animal was
shifting the air, when he himself got a
! Whit OF smoke. He hurried on deck, where
| the smell was stronger, and he then
went into Capt. Grants cabin and in
! formed him of his suspicious. Both men
went on deck and detected the smoke
issuing from the forward hatch. They
| informed the Waterman on the dock, who
| turned in the alarm. The whole cargo is
soaked by water, besides being badly
| burned. The extent of the damage TO the
| bark is unknown, the vessel being of
wood, and can only be ascertained by a
| survey, which will be held as soon as the
| cargo Is taken out. She halls from Ply
mouth, n. s.. and is $50 tons bUrthen,
and owned in st. Johns, \. B., the Cap
tam being part owner.