The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-27
ON FIRE IN A CYCLONE.
The Frightful Peril Of Steamer DUR
ing a Recent Transatlantic Trip.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
One Of the most exciting and eventful
voyages of the present exciting season at
sea was concluded the other day when the
steamship Cresswell reached her dock at
Philadelphia, and Boatswain George Doe
man was lifted into an ambulance and
taken TO the Pennsylvania hospital. Capt.
RalstOn told Times man the story of the
voyage thus: I'VE left Hamburg March
10 and stopped at Dartmouth, England,
and after taking on board some worlds
fair goods started for Philadelphia. On
March - heavy gale sprung up and at
noon the next day a terrific sea swept on
board, carrying away thestarboard life
boat and captains gig and breaking in
the engine room sSylight On March 30
the storm, which had lulled, suddenly in
creased to a regular cyclone In spite Of
the most clever steering one of the big
seas toppled on board, stove the wheel
house and chart room, carried overheard
four cases of goods for the Chicago fair
and smashed in the after skylight. At
the time all hands thought the steamer
must founder, as she had fallen off into
the trough of the sea. She was rolling
her lee rails under, the water pouring in
through the broken skylights and threat
ening to put out the engine room fires.
While in this precariOus condition
dense volumes of smoke Mere seen rolling
up through the broken skylight and that
cry which is far more appalling on board
ship than on shore rang out amidst the
turmoil of the elements Fire! Fire?
had good officers and a well-disciplined
crew / Immediately ordered the boat
swain to pipe all hands to fire drill. The
men took their stations. and in spite Of
the terrible peril from the elements the
most perfect discipline was maintained,
and the fire was fought with heroism.
Those on shore can have but a
faint idea of our situation A furious
hurricane blowing the steamer tossed to
and fro like a toy boat in a whirlpool,
huge cliffs of angry water appearing
themselves all around us, and raging
fire in the coal bunkers While fighting
the fire furious blast from the SOUTH
west blew away our last remaining storm
trysail with which we were trying to
keep her head TO the sea. After eight
hours hard work the fire was put out,
and then the exhausted crew sought to
get some rest.
However, the storm which had llhled,
broke out with redoubled fury. On April
2 a sea came on board which resembled a
tidal wave 1t literally overwhelmed the
steamer All hands thought the vessel
was gone. | was washed off the bridge,
cabins were Quilted and the forecastle
skylight smashed. The starboard light
house was knocked into kindling wood
and all the remaining boats smashed.
Boatswain George Doeman was found
lying on the deck damned in between
the main funnel and some of the wreck
age. He was lifted out and said, I think
my back broken but, suddenly recol-
lecting a duty he was on when knocked
over, he exclaimed: Look to that mizzen
stay it's nearly chafed through' Doe
mans thigh was broken. Several times
other waves swept on board before the
storm broke on the Sd. Thick fogs were
encountered on the Sth and 9th inst, and
twice the vessel was nearly run down"
terms, at LaFar's.-ad.