Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-24
ALL ON BOARD WERE SAVED
Taken From a Burning Ves-
sci In Mid-Ocean.
THE LOSS OF THE ABYSSlNlA
Splendid Work by the Cap
tain of the Spree.
Tho Abyssinin ovcrhauled Just in the
Nick of Time aud Her Passengers and
Crew Safely Taken Off--The Vessel and
Valuable Cargo Entirely Destroyed.

Lloyd steamer Spree, Captain Willigerod,
which left New York December 18th for
Bremen, passed the Sclly Islands this
morning and signalled that the steamship
Abyssinia of the Guion line, which sailed
from New York on the 18th inst, under
command of Captain Murray, bound for
Liverpool, had been burned at sea in lati-
tude 400, north. Longitude 29o west.
The Spree signalled also that all on board
she burned steamship were saved. The
date of the burning of the Abyssinia. how
ever, was not signalled
Although the Spree did not report that
the Abyssinia's passengers and crew were
on board of her, it is supposed that such
was the case. The burned vessel was an
iron bark-rigged, screw steamer of 2,346
tons net and 4,65l tons gross. She was
was 1868 feet long, AZ feet inches beam
and "a feet depth of hold. She had COM
pound engines of 500-horse power.
SOUTHAMPTON, Dec. 22.-The North
German Lloyd liner Spree, which res
cued the passengers and crew of the
Guion Line steamship Abyssinia in
midocean December 18th, arrived here
tonight, and the rescued people, 147 in
all, including every soul on the burned
ship, were landed amid loud cheers
The Abyssinia, which sailed from New
York for Liverpool December 18th,
caught fire, and every effort to get at
the flames to extinguish them was
futile.
The cotton in the hold had got heated,
and fire ensued. Captain George G.
Murray, when he saw that death from
fire or water MANAGED his ships COM
pany, at once put out the signal, "Ship
on fire Stand byI' At this moment the
Spree, by happy fortune, sighted the
doomed boat, and she was not a moment
90 soon. Stopping about quarter of a
mile from the Abyssinia, the Spree sent
out her boats.
The smoke from the burning cotton
IN the hold was oozing through the decks
and already coming up the gangways
thickly, but there was no panic. Every
thing was done with the greatest cool
ness, though with the utmost expedi-
ton. The passengers were lowered by
ropes fastened under their arms, and the
boats made rapid trips until all were re-
moved. Not soul was lost. No one
was injured, but had there been an
hours delay all would have been lost.
Captain Murray was the last man to
leave the fated boat, and then the flames
were licking the deck and climbing
around the masts. The Abyssinia was
soon sheet Of flames, and as the Spree
steamed on her way with the rescued
passengers and crew, the Abyssinia' S
mainmast fell. A great swell was on at
the time, and the passengers were
drenched in transit to the Spree. The
weather was not very cold, but just as
the rescue was being effected snow
Storm arose and ragged for short time.
The passengers had no time to save
any effects, as from the time the fire was
discovered until Captain Murray left
the blazing boat was less than two hours.
"lf that boat had come up little
later we would all be at the bottom OF
the Atlantic tonight said the boat.
swain of the Abyssinia.
Most Of the passengers were for Liver.
pool and they will be sent on there to.
night. The crew goes on tomorrow
morning. The tender arrived with then
at IL O'Clock tonight. The cheer:
from the rescued on the tender at part
ing from the Spree rose above the sount
OF the band playing the national anthem
as a send-off. Contributions were taker
mp on the Spree for the benefit of crew
and Storage passengers, and $500 wer,
collected. There We're only six womeI
on the Abyssinia and three infants. Thl
crew numbered SO, Storage passenger
80, second cabin 90 They were careC
Tor well on the Spree, which had room
enough for the rescued, as her own lis
was small. The Spree receives no in
demnity for saving the passengers, which
was purely work Of humanity. HI
passengers speak loudly in praise o
their treatment.
On the Sunday following the rescu
OF the people on the Abyssinia, tn
Iona, a steamship from Hartlepool, Eng
land, was sighted. A boat sent on
from her to the Spree was upset, and al
officer of the Spree, who went in scare
OF the men on her, picked them up, bu
one died soon after he was reached
The Iona had broken her shaft an
wanted the Spree to tow her back, bu
this could not be done on account Of iii
delay already experienced.
The Spree certainly has done goo
work this voyage, as It was a singuIa
and happy coincidence that she ar
peared just in the nick of time to say
the passengers and crew Of the burnin
boat from u terrible death.
THE CARGO OF THE ABYssISIA.
NEW YORK, Dec. 22.-Passengt
Agent Gibson, Of the Guion Line, whe
asked about the Abyssinia, said: "M
have no idea how the fire originated.
must have been caused by spontaneor
combustion. We have received no II
formation as yet, and are relying upo
the press reports We expect no new
until tomorrow. The Spree, whic
picked up the Abyssinia's passenger
and crew, is due at Southampton abo,
7'o'elock tonight, New York time.
1.-THE rescued people will be land,
there. Captain Murray willundoubted
start at once for London, to report
the Liverpool agents. This report '
shall receive tomorrow The Ahyssin
carried cargo valued at $275D00.
was very combustible, consisting
cotton, oil and general merchandi.
The cargo was shipped by vario
parties in this city. II is supposed
have been fully covered by insurance
Some of the items were / ,227 bales
cotton, valued at $56,31e; 44,513 poun
of cheese, worth $5,056; six cases Of ii
valued at $55,S62; 100000 pounds
bacon, worth $50 ,000,and 10000 busht
of wheat, worth $4,000. The Ably
sinia was built by j. Il G, Thompso
in 1870; for the Cunard Company. VIII
built she was worth $250000.
The burned vessel was an iron bar
rugged screw steamer Of 2,346 tons i
and 1861 tons gross. She was built
Govan, Scotland, in 1870. She was 3
feet long by AZ feet inches beam al
"a feet depth Of hold. She had coI
pound engines of 500-horse power.
For the past five years she has be
running between Vancouver, b, G., a
Hong Kong as one of the Ganadi