Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-11-15
A rEnILous s1ruAr1oN.

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from Perrysburg and vicinity, we have
been called upon to answer many ques-
tionsAconcerning the recent perilous
situation which that steamer has
passed through, and for those inter-
ested we give the facts, as they have
not been given in any of the accounts
published.
The steamer left Buffalo on Sunday
with load of 1900 tons of coal and u
deck load of 400 tons of merchandise,
in which was about 800 bales of oalium
and jute and about 200 barrels OF sui
pher and birthstone. AT about 81 p. m.
Monday night, during plinding snow
storm, with wind blowing at terrific
rate, the steamer was discovered to be
on fire between decks, in the oakum,
forward of the engine room, and
directly over the coal bunkers. The
portion OF the crew who had "turned
in" were awakened and all hands
engaged in fighting fire, while the
steamer was headed for Detroit river,
in hopes of reaching Maiden to secure
assistance. Several steamers passed
by, but probably had all they could do
to take care of themselves owing to the
heavy storm. About an hour after the
discovery of fire Chief Engineer Butler
informed the captain that he was cut
off from the coal supply on account of
the smoke from the sulphur and brim-
stone, which made it impossible for
a man to live in the coal bunkers, and
he could furnish steam only thirty min
utes longer. Here was the worst possi-
BILE outlook; no fuel to supply steam;
with death staring them in the face on
all sides, either to be burned up with
the ship; drowned in the angry waves,
that every moment piled higher and
higher, or to be dashed upon the rocky
beech and perish in the attempt to
reach the shore. The steamer, by
reason of the burning birthstone and
sulphur, had become veritable float
ing hell, and escape from death seemed
almost impossible. She was then
headed for the shore, and run on Bald
wins Point(not Colchester reef as
stated in Toledo papers) in such "a man.
ner as to form a breakwater between
the boat and shore so that their small
boats might live in reaching the beech.
1t was about 2 o'clock in the morning
before u boat could be launched, manned
by picked crew of Chief Engineer
Butler, I'd mate Webber and wheelsmen
Gus Perrin and Clint Loop. The dark
ness made it impossible to see further
than boats length ahead, and after
hard pull they were almost upon a
large rock which would have crushed
their boat, but large swell lifted the
boat and landed them upon point OF
land from which they were enabled to
reach small house a short distance
away. One of the crew went to the
telegraph station and sent for help
while the others were kindly cared for
by an aged couple until the storm sub
sided sufficiently to enable them to
return to the steamer, and assist the
few of the crew who were still aboard
fighting the fire. The tug Schenck o.
Toledo was the first to arrive, and was
sent for fire engine, but the kind
hearted Canucks would not allow their
squirt guns to be used on American
fire. The tug Mystic, Owen, Saginaw
and Charlton arrived and holes were
cut through the red hot decks and the
nozzles of their hose inserted and water
pumped upon the burning cargo until
steam pump was secured, one of the
matches raised sufficiently to allow IL
stream of water to flow in and the
entire ship flooded and by this means
the fire was extinguished. A sand
sucker from Toledo was secured and
the water pumped out. Part of the
cargo was then thrown overheard, and
portion placed on the tug Saginaw.
The steamer was then easily pulled off
by the Schenck, and with her own
steam made the run TO Toledo in u
short time. During the fire several of
the crew had narrow escapes from
sutfocation.
The steamer Carried $4,000 marine
insurance, and $4,000 fire insurance,
and if she had been destroyed by the
fire, ouly $4,000 could have been
secured for steamer which cost $l75,-
600 before she left the ship yard.
When she arrived ut Toledo there
we're no indications of the terrible fire,
save smoky appearance on her white
upper works, and slitht bulge in her
upper deck, and a very bad smell OF
birthstone. Had the steamer been con-
structed of wood, the crew would
undoubtedly have peris he'd, as the
location of the fire would have cut
them off from their small boats.
4 T.,4. Il.