Evening journal., 1889-10-09
AFLAME IN MIDOCEAN.
Frightful Experience of the
Steamer Unionist.
A FIVE DAYS FIGHT FoR LIFE.


The Thrilling Voyage of a British shin.
Fire in Her Coal Bunlers. Gas ExpIo.
sious and Terrific storm TO Contend
win.
New NopK, Oct Running in the very
teeth Of gale which tossed her like a chip
on the waters, and with a red hot fire burn
ing in one of her coal bunkers which threat
ened to destroy the steamer and which OIL
GERS and crew worked day and night 10 sub
due, Is the history Of good part of the yoy.
age Of the British steamer Unionist, which
has just steamed into this port from Liver.
pool II was on Sept q that the Unonist.
under Capt. X W Meats command, left
Liverpool for New York, ia ballast. There
was heavy westerly gale blowing when the
steamer left port On the oath the wind
veered to the north northwest and blew with
almost hurricane force.
storm aud Fire.
A heavy cross sea caused the big steamer
70 pitch so heavily that the sailors could
hardly keep their feet, and at night they had
70 lash themselves in their bunks. On the
morning % Sept 30 the Unionist was steam
ing against gale which almost buried her.
They Were In Midocean.
It was 5 o'clock in the morning when Chief
officer Attenbrow saw thin line OF smoke
forcing its way from underneath the bunker
hatch on the port side Of the bridge. He
called Capt Neat, and together they lifted
the hatch A dense volume Of black smoke
poured FROM the hatchway, almost sufToca-
ing the captain. All hands were at once
summoned, the hatch was closed aud every
creyice flied with oakum Two holes were
cut IN the hatch and barrels Of water were
poured into the bunker
Overcome by Gnses.
At 10 o'clock the hatch was removed and
two Of the crew went down and began pass.
ing coal from the port bunker into the saddle
back or cross hatch coal bunker. There were
fully 100 tons IN the port bunker, where the
fire was The men were relieved at o'clock.
when Firemen James Farrell and r. Pearson
took their places Half an hour later the
smoke and sulphurous gasses overcame the
men. They were rescued with difficulty, and
did not recover consciousness for some hours.
During this time the ship was pitching and
tossing 80 that the men could hardly retain
their feet. The hatch was closed again after
the men were taken out, and kept closed un-
til O'Clock Tuesday morning, Oct. /, with
the hose constantly pouring on water
Then the hatch was agnin reopened and
the men were sent down IN relays OF two 10
again make an attempt TO pnt out the fire.
An officer had charge Of each relay and the
men We're relieved every fifteen minutes.
Thus they worked al that day. At o'clock
the smoke aud ees compelled them to stop
work and the hatch went on again, while the
water played as before until II O'Clock
"Wednesday morning, when the work OF re.
moving the coal was begun again. Thest1rm
had increased and the men found italmost i'm
possible 70 work. Still they kept desperately
on, urged by officers, who took their share
of toll with the rest Moro than twenty
tons had been removed by 10 o'clock Wednes-
dny night when the deadly smoke and
gas had caused another cessation Of work.
They struck Red hot Coal.
They began 10 draw the coal from the bot
tom Of the bunker Thursday afternoon. and
soon reached red hot coal. Although blazing
it was hoisted on deck in iron buckets through
the cross hatch bunker, placed upon the
iron dock and deluged with water The men
had removed two tons by half-past $ o'clock
Friday evening.
Tcrribie Gas Explosion.
AT 2 o'clock Friday morning Second on
Ger heimming heard subdued report and
saw the port bunker and the cross bunker
matches fly into the air, while tongue Of
fame ran mp nearly to the mast head. The
gas had exploded The hatches fell back
into the bunkers, but were secured with diff
Guilty and again fastened down.
The hose was turned on again. but at 40
there was another explosion, aud this time
the port hatch struck Engineer Lowe on the
head. The covered alleyway on the port
side was very hot, and the fire room was
almost unbearable
Out at Last.
Capt, Neat decided to cut hole through
the iron side of the bunker, and this was ac-
complished and the water turned on the
blazing mass at 9 o'clock that morning. BY
$50 o'clock the fire was out The captain
and engineer exploring the bunker with an
electric light found only charred and wet