The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-04-11
The Mary Winkelman Nearly Destroyed
at Sea.
A DESPERATE RACE FOR SAFETY.
The Flames First Discovered in the Foreheld.
Good Work Dene by the
Tugs.


for Honolulu with a general cargo, large
part of which consisted of coal oil and other
highly infiammable material. She also car
ried several passengers and had four head
of horses In stalls on the main hatch.
When the Spreckels' tug Active left her at
the whistling buoy it was blowing heavy
breeze from the northwest, and the vessel
stood away to sea at a 10-knot gait as soon
as the canvas was spread. The Farallones
were soon passed. and there was every
prospect that the vessel, which is one of the
fastest sailing out of this port, would be
manysmiles on her way before sundown.
A TIMELY DISCOVERY.
Captain Nissen was standing aft near the
wheel and the crew were clearing up the
decks, when one of the men noticed thin
cloud of smoke creeping out from under
the tarpaulins covering the fore hatch. and
at once reported to Mate Boyd. The hatch
was taken Off and the next instant the men
were driven back by volume of smoke
that. as the mate expressed it. "was as thick
as tar"
The captain at once ordered the hatch
ba tened down in hopes of smothering the
flames and formed the crew into q bucket
brigade. A corner of the hatch was chopped
out and water poured down as fast as the
men could dip it up. For half an hour the
crew worked like beavers. but when the
hatch was again raised the smoke and
flames shot out and licked the foot of the
fOreSail.
FLYING BACK TO PORT.
Again the batches were battened down,
and realizing that his vessel was in danger
that he could not hope to avert with the
meager appliances Oh board. the captain
gave orders to square away for San Fran
cisco, as the only hope of saving the vessel
and those on board her.
Ii did not take the crew long to get the
Winkelman before the wind. Then part of
the crew sprang aloft and loosened the light
sails. These were soon set and in a short
time the fleet little clipper was skimming
along toward the Golden Gate at thirteen
knot gait, with every rag of canvas that
could be spread on her.
The crew, aided by the passengers. then
manned the buckets once more, but the
water they were able TO pour down the
hatch only seemed to feed the fire, and all
hands began to realize that it was race
for life. The Faraliones were soon passed.
and with the speed OF a steamer the burn
ing vessel flew before the gale toward the
harbOr.
SIGNALS OF DISTRESS.
The national ensign was hoisted union
down as a signal of distress, and all hands
cast anxious glances over the water in
hopes of seeing some of the tugs that are
nearly always cruising outside the harbor.
In the meantime the fire was kept in
check by keeping the batches on, but every
one on board knew that should the fire
reach the cases OF cOa-oil there would be
small chance of reaching San Francisco
just as the bar was crossed the signal of
distress was seen by the tug Active, which
had remained outside waiting for a tow
She at once headed for the burning vessel
at full speed. Then began race that did
not end until both crafts were well inside
Fort Point. for Captain Nissen saw that his
vessel was going fully as fast as the tug
and time was money in his case.
A STERN CHASE.
II am on fire, get your frepumps ready
and come alongside" he shouted. and the
request was obeyed, so far as getting the
pumps ready, but getting the tug alongside
the burning vessel was not such an easy
matter. as the Winkelman was slightly in
the lead, which it maintained until the fort
was passed.
AS the two vessels passed the heads the
news was flashed to the city that burn
ing ship was coming into the harbor, and in
a short time nearly every tug in tue harbor
was flying down the bay in hopes of catch
ing a prize. Off the fort, however, the
Active got alongside the Winkelman and the
powerful pumps were soon sending two
streams into the fire.
Shortly after the red-stack tug Wizard
also went to her assistance, made fast on
the other side of the vessel and sent her
hose also into the hold. In this manner
the three vessels came into the harbor, the
tugs going at full speed in order TO keep up
with the sailing vessel.
SAVED BY THE TUGS
The tug Rescue took the hawser and soon
had the vessel tied up alongside section of
the seawal. By this time the four streams
of water had got the best of the fire, and in
half an hour after the vessel was tied up
the ire was put out.
CALL reporter boarded the Winkelmau
soon after and from Captain Nissan was
learned the story of the very narrow escape
of both vessel and crew. AS soon as poSsi-
BILE the matches were taken off. aud it was
found that everything in the forepeak had
been destroyed. The eyes of the vessel had
been slowed full OF rope and other ships
stores. together with portion of the cargo
that was least likely to be damaged by a
sea voyage. The coal oil was slowed fur
thar aft, under the main hatch, and was not
reached by the fire.
Captain Nissen was at loss to account
for the fire.
ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
From another source few facts were
learned that may throw some light on its
origin. One of the passengers, German,
who was in charge of the horses on board
was asked how it started and told The
CALL man that several bales of hay for the
horses were slowed under the forehatch and
that one of the men went below with
naked candle and set iton fire. Before he
could say more he was told toShut up by an
other German.
What the damage will amount to cannot
be told until an investigation is made to-
day. but it is thought the damage will q OF
be very heavy. Had the fire been delayed
until the vessel was "a hours at sea her doom
would have been sealed. as the crew could
not have subdued it and once the coal oil
was reached she would have burnt to the
waters edge inside OF two hours.