The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-07-23
A THRILLING STORY OF THE SEA.
Burning Of the Steamer Lorenzo d. Baker
and Rescue of Nearly ALI on Board.

NEW BEDFORD, Mass, July 22-The
whaling schooner Franklin arrived here
this pornlng, with the crew of the steamer
Lorenzo d. Baker, from Point Antonio.
Jamaica, for Boston, with fruit. The
steamer was burned at sea. Captain Wiley
reports that the steamer left Port Antonio
on the 10th of July, with a cargo of ba-
nanas, for Boston, and had six cabin pass
engers, Mrs. Elizabeth Slime, of Dundee,
Scotland; Josiah Dillon, of Iowa; Lorezo ID.
Baker. jr., of Wellfieet, Mass; jeremiah
OCalIaghan and jeremiah c. O'Callaghan.
of Boston (uncle and nephew); Ernest B.
Thyng, of Lynn; Lawrence Jensen and
Peter Saxfeld, sailors, who were
working their passage, and officers
and crew, numbering nineteen. We
had fair, smooth water up to
the evening of July Is (the day of the dis
aster), when we were in latitude $50 IS
north, longitude 69o 40. At this time a
fresh gale from the southwest set in. caus-
ing the snip to roll some, but not severely.
AT midnight there was an alarm of fire. /
went out on deck and saw the engine-room
in blaze. / ordered the hose on. but the
engineer said he could not get at the pumps
Then l ordered the tire-buckets and
alarmed the passengers, and ordered the
boats to be swung out By this time the
flames had burst through the top of the
engi ne-rOOm, and the starb0ard boat was
on fire. We swung out the port boat and
lowered her to the rail- ordered this one
to be manned. Two or three passengers
got into the boat The fire was now within
three feet of us, and the heat
to those who stood by. the boat
80. l. ff. ,,.%,
the hands OF sailor and telling him to
hold it fast l ordered the first mate to take
the bow and springing into the stern told
the men to lower away, thinking as soon
as the boat was ahoat 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 tiro, but in lowering the boat as
it struck the water, 1T Immediately cap
sized and threw us into the water On
coming to the surface l found man hold
ing the painter had let go of it when he
saw the disaster, so that the boat was near
us. Helping the passengers to a safe hold
on the keel, in a few minutes the mate and
ny to safe positions, we bailed the boat,
took the passengers in and looked around
for the ship. which had by this time
drifted about half q mile away. 1t had
lowering the boat until we were in it again.
We put away for the steamer, and when
about half way to it we fell in with the raft.
which had eight persons on 1T. 1t tioated
with only one end above water, having
been injured in launching. We took all
from the raft into the boat. The wind had
now increase and the sea was high. Some
time was consumed with the raft, and we
were mile from the wreck when we again
started for her. After rowing some time
we picked up a sailor floating on the gang
way steps, From him we learned that he
had gone in the small boat and that four
sailors and two tiremen were left on board
the steamer. they having got cut off from
the boats by the fire. One, fireman, had
been drowned in trying to reach the small
boat. We now found, TO our sor-
row, that the distance between
us and the ship was increasing,
but still. as the wind and sea would permit,
We struggled TO get to the wreck. The
forenoon was rapidly passing away, when,
to our Joy, we saw q schooner bearing down
to the ship. We saw her lay by and take
off some men, and then come TO us. We
were soon safely on board the vessel, which
proved to be the Franklin, Captain Ross. 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 steamers 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 ont of twenty seven souls who
had been on the steamer were saved and
Safe on DOaru the Il FRANKLIN. ne most gen.
erous treatment was accorded us by Cap
tain Rose and the crew of the schooner. The
best the rescuers had was freely offered to
u.s. Said Captain Rose: My voyage will
not be mp for month, but l will carry you
into port" and we started for New Bedford.
The iiremen who lost their lives were
Hugh Wylie. of Liverpool. England. and
Ralph Robinson, of Boston. Mrs. Eliza
beth Simms, the lady passenger. who had
on black dress and 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 Captain
Wylie telling her to get up and dress and
prepare TO leave the ship. as 1t was on fire.
She hurriedly dressed, secured her money
and went on deck, where she was placed in
the life-boat. AS the craft was lowered
into the water it capsized and she va
drawn underneath it. She could not swim,
but had on life e-preserver, and mechanic
ally 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 Simms. He called. .for Gods
sake, save the woman" and caught her by
the arm. When the boat was righted she
was assisted. and soon after the boat was