Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-12-24
n Charge of the Abyssinia
Quieted a Panic and
Saved Many Lives.
THE COMING OF THE SPREE
Happens Just in Time to Rescue the
Passengers and Crew.
A SHoRT-LIvED Panic ON BOARD.
Sailors Lose Their Heads, but the Captain
Restores Order.
TIE FIRE BEATEN By But TWO HOURS

LONDON, Dec. 23-Tne North German
Lloyd steamer Spree, from New York, hav-
ng on board the passengers and crew of the
burned Guion Line steamer Abyssinia, ar
lived at Southampton last night The
bird officer saws that after the Abyssinia
eft for New York December Is, everything
proceeded as usual until Friday, the 18th.
At 1:3O o'clock that day smoke was
loticed issuing from beneath the matches of
he third hold, in which the cotton was
stored. An investigation revealed the fact
he cotton was on fire, and the flames had
-ained such headway that all the efforts to
;ubdue them, or even TO hold them in
,heck, were of no avail The ire was
ought as long as a single hope of saving
he steamer remained, but finally Capitals
Murray decided that if the passengers and
rev were to escape with their lives they
would have to leave the steamer to her fate.
de, therefore, ordered the lifeboats to be
made ready.
Getting Ready the Lifeboats.
Water and provisions were placed in
hem, and the crews of the boats made
everything ready for abandoning the burn
ng Abyssinia The passengers then en-
cred the boats assigned to them, and the
mall craft, with their human freight, were
owed away from the davits and the falls
we're cast off.
Captain Murray thought the burning
steamer might be sighted by some passing
vessel, and he, therefore, gave or ders to the
,aptsins of the lifeboats to lie in the vicin-
ty, so that if a vessel bore down to see
What was burning they might all be picked
up. This was a wise precaution, for they
1ad not been drifting long before the Spree
1ove in sight, headed for the spot where
the Abyssinia was burning, and in a short
time all hands in the boats reacha5 the
iecks of the Spree ia safety.
A passenger on the Abyssinia narrates a
story that does not agree in some of its
minor details with the foregoing. This
passenger saws that the flames spread with
such rapidity that every one knew that the
steamer was doomed. When it became
Known that there was no possible hope of
saving the vessel, the most intense excite
nent prevailed.
The purser further said that when the
ire was first discovered great excitement
prevailed for a time. This was speedily
;ubdued, however, and the passengers and
rev afterward behaved admirably. When
he order was given to abandon the ship
Everybody left her as coolly as if they were
going aboard the tender at Liverpool
Mr.. Braendt spoke very highly of the
reatment accordedthe Abssinia's people on
BOARD the Spree. Captain Willigerod and
ais off GERS and crew did everything for their
comfort and treated them in the kind
lest manner possible.
The Crew Lose Their Heads.
A number of the crew became panic
stricken and rushed hither and thither with
40 idea Of what they were doing. Two of
hem jumped into the sea- There were
some cool heads aboard, however, and no
lime was lost in attempting to save the two
men who had thrown themselves overheard.
One man was rescued but the other was
drowned.
Captain Murray preserved his calm de-
neanor throughout the whole exciting scene,
and he soon restored the panic-stricken
members of his crew to state of perfect
discipline. During the excitement the
Spree was seen in the distance, and her
presence, and the fact that she was heading
for the Abyssinia, tended greatly to calm
the excitement. When the Spree neared
the Abyssinia she sent two of her boats to
help take off the people of the burning
steamer Some of the latter's boats we're
utilized in this service, and all hands,
DaSSeuHtIs anu CREW. were lIduSleTI6u 10
the German steamer All the passengers
luggage and every bit of the cargo was lost
1t was O'Clock this morning when the
first of the Abyssinia's people, comprising
"a passengers and IS of her crew, reached
Waterloo station by rail from Southamp-
ton.
Purser Brendel Tells His Story.
The party was conducted by Purser
Brendel, and they looked depressed in the
midst of the dense fog which filled the sta
ton. They were met at the railway sta
tion by the agent of the Guion line. who
sent the party Immediately to Liverpool.
Prior TO their departure an interview was
had with Purser Brendel He said that
the AbyssinIa had fair passage until /
o'clock in the the afternoon of December
Is. At that time he was told that the ship
was on fire. He looked and saw smoke
coming from the hold. Purser Brendel
added:
1--WE got the hose stretched and the |
donkey engines started. We worked as
hard as we possibly could to get at the fire,
but almost Immediately the flames burst |
through where we were working and drove |
us off; at the same time the watch reported |
that the Spree was standing up in the offing.
We signaled to her and she bore down to |
us and sent off boats to our assistance Be-
fore tuo hnure and a half had elansed the |