The morning call., 1891-07-03
SHE WAS A RUNNER.
How the OmeO Escaped From a
Federal BlOckader.

There is vessel lying at Mission No .
that attracts great deal of attention by
her queer rig and old-fashioned appearance.
She Is The British fOur-masted bark One o.
belonging to Melbourne. The old craft has
quite history and was formerly steamer
She was built in 1858 in England and is 7S9
tons. Outing the Civil War she was used
as blockade runner and made number of
trips to Charleston, s. c., escaping capture
more than once from the Federal war YES
sells.
The last trip she made was a remarkable
one. She passed the gun-boats that were
blockading the harbor. and then orders
were given by the flagship to keep sharp
lookout for her when she attempted to leave
and to catch her at all hazards. The DAYS
went by until six weeks had passed and the
naval officers were beginning to think that
the steamer had given them the slip and
| made away without their knowing it, when
| one night rockets were seen from the cruis-
| ers as II some one was signaling on shore.
A bright lookout was kent for the Slip
| perry blockade-runner, and just before day
| light she was seen well in shore, passing
| out. She was loaded to the guards with
| cotton, and had several hundred bales piled
| o. deck. Half dozen steamers started
| after her at once, and it seemed as il she
| would be caught at last. But she managed
| TO reach open water without coming in
| range OF the guns of the war-ships, and in
| few hours had distanced all but one of her
| pursuer5.
| This was one Of the new gunboats, a
| screw steamer of great speed; and rs the
| two flew through the water the American
| captain had the satisfaction of noting that
| slowly but surely he was overhauling the
| heavily laden blockader. The captain of
| the British steamer also perceived that the
| guhboat was gaining on him, and he knew
| that 1t was only question of time, unless
! something turned up to prevent it, when
| tie American would be on his way to New
York with the cotton steamer in tow
He looked at his deck load, which was
| worth thousands of dollars in Liyerpool
| could he land it: there. and then looked at
the American, which was slowly crawling
| up on him, until every minute he expected
To see the puff of smoke from her bow gun.
| He decided that the deck load must 90.
| But there was great danger of crppling his
steamer should he drop the big bales over
| the side, as one of them might be caught in
the propeller, and then Ship and cargo
would go to New York without doubt
In order to prevent this long stage was
| rugged over the stern and the bales rolled
out on II before they were dropped into the
| sea. The plan worked first class-in fact
| better than the bold EngIishman had dared
| to hope. Bale after bale was dropped over
| board and soon long line of them
| hoated on the water right in the road of the
American steamer. and no attention was
| paid them by the officers of the gunboat nm
| til crash was heard aud in few seconds
her engines stopped. The captain went
| down into the engine-room to learn what
was the matter, and a short investigation
| showed that the gunboat was hopeessly
| crippled.
One of the bales had been caught by the
| propeller and the contents wound around
the shaft in second, and to their chagrin
the rich prize slipped through their fingers
| When they were nearly alongside. After
| the war the Omeo went to Australia and for
number of years run from Melbourne to
| New Zealand, and was then turned into
sailing vessel. She is regarded as enc of
the lnckiest ships af1oat as well as one of
| the fastest, as in spite of her queer rig
1 very few can outSail her