The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-28
down in his official memorandum. 1t is as

follows:
ION June 20, in latitude % deg. % min.
north. longitude 172 deg IS min east. there
appeared slight vapor or smoke from No.
hatch. The matches were immediately
put on and the thermometer was put in the
coal to test the heat. 1t registered SO deg.
The next day we took off the hatch and
found the hold to be full Of smoke and gas
and great heat ascending. The deeper
we won't into the coal the greater the
heat. the coal being too hot to touch by
hand. The iron work and stanchions were
too hot to be touched. The thermometer
registered 100 on the 2lst and 22d. AS the
heat of the fire was under No. hatch it
was decided. for the safety of the ship and
those on board, to jettisOn part OF the
cargo. About 260 tons were thrown over
board. The coal was so hot and the hold
so FULL OF gas that 1t was impossible for The
crew to work longer than half an hour at
q time. The thermomete registered 105
degrees.
''Started the engine and pumped water
on the coal, and kept pumping until we
thought we had the fire under control,
from June % to July 10. In latitude 40
deg min. north. longitude 1853 deg. 81
min. west found strong odor OF gas as
cending with strong sulphur smell from
No. 2 hatch; put on the firshose and kept
the pumps going. Then we found the
smoke and fire making Roadway; tempera-
ture 100 deg On the 18th the smoke in
creased and came out In dense volumes
under the tween decks of No. 2 hatch.
Sounded the we'll and found we had IA
inches of water in the hold. Began to
pump tho ship out and pump water on the
coal at the same time. The heat increased.
Placed the thermometer In the lower hold
of No. 2 hatch on the surface of the coal
and it registered 135 deg. On the 18th at
10 O'Clock P. NJ. observed streaks of blue
fame running along No. hatch followed
by dense volume of smoke. On the 14th
pumps were kept going night and day.
ION the 18th the smoke was getting
blue and causing great anxiety among the
crew; triad to attract the attention OF a
passing ship with distress signals, but our
signals were not noticed. On the 10th
while pouring water on the coal an ex-
ploson occurred in the fore part Of No. 2
This was followed by second in the fore
hold. BY this time tho fore part Of the
ship was one mass of flames. We battened
down No. 2 hatch. The heat around the
combings of tho hatch was so great as to
melt the pitch from the planking which is
over a steel deck.
1.-The matches and ventilatOrs were too
hot to touch by hand. The crew found it
impossible to live in the forecastle on &C
count Of the hest and gas. All the crew
came aft and patiently waited the turn OF
events.
ION the 18th We provisioned and fitted
out the boats and on the 18th lowered
them. The boats were tOwed astern for
greater safety, as tint heat might affect the
boats and our only hope of escape. On
the 10Th We took the boats in again, IS the
| weather looked threatening. As We had a
good breeze we kept the ship off for San
Francisco.
''The FIRE seemed to abate from the 10Th
to the oath. On the morning of the 25th
We had a fair wind blowing hard and as
the vessel went through the water the
coal got hotter, causing great anxiety on
board.
"On the 25th at 80 A.. M. an explosion
in No. hatch was followed by three more
explosions. blowing of tho matches. The
crew bravely mustered around the matches
and put them back despite the intense
heat"
With more joy than they were able to
give expression to. after fourteen days OF
terrible anxiety, without sleep and with
out rest the officers and crew caught sight
Of the heads yesterday morning and were
taken in tow by tho Vigilant about 2 p NJ.
| and brought in.
The freboat went to the Cedarbank's
assistance. but her services were declined.
side and. with the Vigilant. waited till
after dark, while the tired crew weighed
anchor. The burning vessel was then
towrd to Mission mud fats.
The tugs Vigilant and Fearless lay by
the floating volcano in case OF an emer-
gency, while CAPTAIN Moody sent a cable
gram to the owners of the ship stating
that he proposed to food her. At II O'CLOCK
last night the Relief took party of insur-
ance men out 10 tho flats, and it was de-
cided that the only way 10 extinguish the
fire was 10 flood the cargo. The three tugs
then began to pump streams into the
Cedarbank's hold.