Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-22

CAPTAINS REPORT TELLING THE STORY
New BEDFORD, Mass, July 22-4The whaling
schooner Franklin arrived here this morning
with the crew Of the steamer Lorenzo d. Baker,
from Port Antonio, ia, for Boston, with fruit,
before reported overdue. The steamer was
burned at sea. The cargo was consigned to
the Boston fruit company, Boston
THE CAPTAINS REPORT.
Capt. Wiley Of the Baker in his report saws:
We left port Antonio, Jamaica, July 10, with
bananas, for Boston, and had six cabin pas
sengers. Mrs. Elizabeth Slime Of Dundee,
Scotland; Josiah Dillon of Iowa; Lorenzo ID.
Baker, jr., of Wellfeet, Mass; jeremiah o'Cal-
laghan and his nephew, a jeremiah G.. O'Callag-
han OF Boston; Z. b. Thing of Lynn; Lawrence
Jensen and Peter Saxild. sailors, who were work
ing their passage, and nineteen officers and
crew-in all twenty-seven persons. At mid
night on July Is, when we were in latitude
S915 north, longitude 69.49 west,
FIRE BROKE OUT IN THE ENGINE ROOM
The engineer could not get at the pumps.
ordered the fire buckets to be used, notified the
passengers and ordered the boats to be swung
out. By this time the flames had burst through
the top OF the engine room and the starboard
boat was on fire. We swung out the port boat
and lowered her to a lerel with the rail- had
dered 1t manned. The other passengers now
got into the boat, but the men had gone for
ward. The fire was within three feet of us and
the heat was intense. Placing the boats painter
in the hands of a sailor and telling him to hold
it fast, / ordered the first mate to take the bow
ana, springing into the stern, told the men at
the falls TO lower away. thinking as soon as the
boat was afioat and detached from the tackles
to return on board and get out the raft and
small boat, as they were then comparatively
safe and away from the fire.
THE BOAT CAPsIZED.
But, in lowering the boat, as it struck the
water it Immediately capsized and threw US
into the water. On coming to the surface
found the man holding the painter had let go
OF 1T when he saw the disaster, so that the boat
was near us. Helping the passengers to a safe
hold on the keel, in few minutes the mate and
righted the boat. On getting our company
to safe positions again We bailed the boat,
took the passengers in and looked around for
the ship, which had by this time drifted about
half a mile away. 1t had been 20 minutes from
the time of lowering the boat until we were in
ii again. We put away for the steamer and
when about half way TO il We fell in with the
raft which had eight persons on it. 1t foated
with only one end above the water having
been injured in launching.
WE TOOK ALL FROM THE RAFT
into the boat. The wind had now increased
and the sea was high. Some time was con-
sumed with the raft and We were a mile from
the wreck when we again started for her. After
rowing some time we picked up sailor floating
ON the gangway steps. From him we learned
that he had gone IN the small boat and that
four sailors and two fremen we're left on board
the steamer, they having got cut off from the
boats by the fire. One. a fireman. had been
drowned in trying to reach the small boat
We now found to our sorrow that the distance
har and
still, as the wind and sea would permit.
WE sTRUGGLED TO Oct TO THE WRECK.
The forenoon was rapidly passing away when
to our Joy We saw a schooner bearing down to
the ship. We saw her lay by and take of some
men and then come to u.s. We were soon safely
on board the vessel, which proved to be the
Franklin, Capt. Rose, of New Bedford. We
found she had taken five men from a spar
alongside the steamer. Another fireman had
been drowned in swimming from the steamer s
bowsprit to the spar. AT this time the steamer
had burned to within three feet of the waters
edge. We soon found the small boat, and
twenty-five out OF twenty-seven souls who had
been on the steamer were saved ana
SAFE ON BOARD THE FRANKLIN.
The most generous treatment was accorded
up by Capt Rose and the crew of the schooner
The best the rescurers had was freely offered
to us. Capt. Rose said: my voyage will not be
up for month, but will carry you into port, :"
and we started for New Bedford.
This, the captain says, is the bare statement
of Of the most thrilling situations it is pos
sible for men to find themselves in, to be
awakened in the middle of the night in a high
wind and angry sea to find their ship on fire
and one boat gone and poor prospect of safety.
Added to this, to have the other boat on which
their safety depended capsize as soon as
launched was enough to appall the stoutest
hearts. That they should escape with the loss
Of only two lives
Is TRULY pRovIDESTIAI.
Enough praise can hardly be awarded to
Capt. Rose and the officers and crew of the
Franklin for their gallant rescue. The Aremen
who lost their lives were Hugh Wylie of
Liverpool, England, and Ralph Robinson of
Boston, Mass. Mrs. Elizabeth Shines, the lady
passenger who had on a black dress and a
mans derby hat, was ON her way home from
Jamaica where her husband recently died to
reside with friends in Scotland. She was asleep
when she was aroused by the voice Of Capt.
Wylie, telling her to get up and dress and pre-
pare to leave the ship as it was on fire.
She hurried into some clothing, secured her
money and went on deck, where she
was placed in the life boat. As the craft was
lowered into the water 1t capsized and she was
drawn underneath it. She could not swim, but
she had on life preserver and mechanically
struck out and came to the surface.
She saw the mate on the keel of the over
turned boat and he at the same moment saw
Mrs. Shines. He called out: For Gods sake
save the woman" and caught her by the arm.
When the boat was righted she was assisted in
and soon after the boat was picked up by the
Franklin. She was treated like O princess by
the crew of the schooner, who tried by every
delicate attention to make her as comfortabl lie
as possible.
INSURANCE ON SHIP AND CARGO.
BosroN, July 22.-The Boston fruit company
state that the cargo Of the steamer Baker was
valued at not less than s10, 900, on which there
is an insurance Of $4,000. The vessel is insured
for CSC, 900.
No Summons for q Duke.
LONDON, July 22-The judges to whom Mr..
Simms, the journalist, appeared when magis-
trate declined to issue a summons against the
duke Of Cambridge to answer a charge of as
saulting Mr.. Simms have upheld the decision
of the magistrate and refused to grant sum-
mons. The alleged assault Of which Mr.. Simms
complains took place some time ago in White
hall during review of the fire brigade.
Preparing for Another Distribution.
JoHssrowS. Pa, July 22.-Papets are being
prepared here for another large distribution
of the relief funds
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