The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-03
LAST OF THE BAWNMORE,
A Fierce Fire Broke Out in the
Lime Stored in the After
Hold.
WAVES COULD NOT QUENCH IT.
The Cargo and Deck Load We're
Burned-What Goods Washed
Ashore We're Stolen.

Fire and not water completed the de-
struction of the tank steamer Bawnmore.
Not particle of her deck load started and
there was not drop of water in the hold
twelve hours after she went ashore, but
when the waves beat her down to star
board the water rushed into the cabin and
forecastle and when the matches came off
the sea got into the tanks.
In the after tank there was a large guam
tity OF lime and as soon as the water
reached it the flames broke out. From
tank to tank the flames spread and soon
the hull and iron decks were red hot. The
streetcars, lumber and boats were soon in
flames, and although each succeeding sea
that broke over the ship would put out the
fire it was only temporary. The heat of
the hull was sufficient to start it again and
in short space OF time every bit of wood.
work about the steamer was burnt out. In
consequence, when the tug Monarch
reached the stranded vessel there was
nothing to do but leave her to break up.
When the Monarch left San Francisco
for the scene of the disaster she took along,
besides Captain Metcalf Lloyd's surveyor,
George Ross, the shipwright, and ten men.
The latter were to assist in fixing the ap-
planes by which the Bawnmore was to be
towed off. 1t only took few minutes to
ascertain that the once stout oil steamer
was in her grave and that it was only
question of time when she would go to
pieces. Her machinery is still intact and
with proper appliances it may be saved.
'The Bawnmore is a total loss" said
George Ross yesterday, land as she was
only insured for half her value the loss
will come very heavy on the owners. As
she was engaged in carrying oil, the rate
of insurance was very high, so Captain
Woodside took half the risk himself The
cargo will be total loss, but whoever buys
the hulk may make a few dollars out of it.
The steamer went ashore in the sand and
Is now firmly Embedded in it. Every sea
makes clean sweep over her and she is
going ashore piecemeal.
''W hen the lime caught fire that was the
beginning of the end. 1t only took few
hours to completely gut the vessel.
There is one thing am going to tell
you that you can gamble on. The people
who live within twenty or twenty-four
miles of where the Bawnmore went ashore
are born wreckers. They stole everything
in sight and Captain and Mrs. Woodside
and the men were actually hungry when we
arrived. These Oregon men and women
had pilfered all their provisions. Mrs
Woodside was reduced to one gown and
Captain Woodside had pair of shoes, no
socks, a pair of trousers and a shirt and
hat. Everything else was stolen.
"Mrs. Woodside lost her last wrapper in
q mysterious manner. 1t was wet with the
salt water and she put it over a chair that
washed ashore to dry. She kept watchful
eye on the garment, but as it was on the |
open beach and no one in sight she thought
she could walk away few yards to speak |
to her husband. A few minutes later che |
looked around and both dress and chair !
were gone. Talk about thieving, why |
those people up there could steal the teeth |
out of your head.
by the wreck until it is sold. The auction |
takes place to-day, and when that is over |
he will come to San Francisco. Mrs. |
Woodside would not leave her husband, |
even though on several occasions they ran |
out of provisions and have had to go sup
probably reach San Francisco about
Thursday next"
In letter to friend in this City Cap |
tain Woodsde has this TO say:
Between land sharks and sea sharks the |
Bawnmore has had pretty bad time of ii. |
When the cargo began to float out of the hold |
before the fire number OF casks of beef broke |
open. This brought the sea sharks around |
and they finally got so voracious that they
would snap at anything floating in the water |
land sharks. They swooped down from God |
knows where, and everything hat foated |
ashore they seized and carried away as their |
lawful prize. They stole our provisions, our
clothes and everything they could lay their !
hands on. In fact, believe they would go out |
and steal the wreck if it were possible.
If the remains of the good old ship are sold /
on Tuesday may get to San francisco by |
Thursday. Mrs. Woodside is well, but 1 wish |
she was safely at home. She would not leave |
the ship after we struck until left IL with her.
and now she says she won't leave the beach |
until do. George Ross will tell you all about |
the fire which broke out in the after hold.
Captain Woodside has number of pri- |
vate interests in San Francisco and the |
chances are that he will settle here. If he
does the firm of Woodside e. Co. will build
new tank steamer in Belfast to take the |
place of the Bawnmore. She will be placed
in the oil trade between here and Peru and
Captain Woodside will manage her. In |
his letter the skipper says that his COM
pass was affected by the iron in the cars
that were piled up near the pinnacle and |
that the ship went on the rocks when he |
thought he was twenty miles off shore.