The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-24
ST. AUGUS4IuB'S CREW
Rescued by a Boston Steamer
Their Fight Against
Flame. .

BOSTON, Oct. "a, 1895.-The crew of
the steamer City Of st. Augustine, which
vessel was passed at sea, abandoned and
ablaze from stem to stern, by the Ward
Line steamer Orizaba, which arrived at
New York, is safe, having been picked
up by the New England and Savannah
Line steamer City of Macon, Captain
Lewis, from Savannah, Ga, which ar
rived here this morning.
Captain John H. Gaskill, the command
.er of the Inflated City of st. Augustine,
makes the following report
The City of St. Augustine sailed on
her regular trip from New York for
Florida at midnight last Saturday night.
Nothing unusual t~ranspired until u:20
O'Clock Monday might, when the men at
work in hi fireroom discovered a dense
smoke e~Inanating from the coal bunkers,
fireroom and engine ROOM. Upon lnVesLl-
cation it was found that the cargo IN the
main hold was on fire. The cargo in
this part of the vessel consisted OF cases
of merchandise which were stoWed nearly
to the vessels deck making u lnlpos5i.
matches meant the quicker DESTRUCTION
OF the ship, and the hand ~nguish
hose and steam from the boilers were
mixer and the engine room, anc the
fight to save the ship began.
HE'LL AT BAY.
For three quarters, OF an houI the
the steam in the boilers gave out ana the
fire began to make rapid Roadway. See
ing that It was impossiple 70 save hsn5 llo
her. There was 200 barrels of oil slowed
just back of where the fire e~riglnated,
ard as the flames were gradually work
ing in that direction. the preparations to
leave the ship were speedily made. The
port and starboard life boats We're got
ready and the crew. after assisting tnf
one of the boats, left the burning snip
ard dropped astern where they caught
ma main leg i IN ah Position PE 'ni abo afAps eighty
fathoms from the burning steamer
Cape Hatteras at this time bore north
was smooth, save for a little wind sea
which caused the boats to roll some;
About fifteen minutes after the crew had
the steamer a. the na pilot n0u Sc
Of flames. The oil had not at that time
ignited.
ssAfter we had remained about three
quarters of an hour in the boats the city
of Macon, attracted by the burning YES.
sci, hove to nearby and v then then cut ut
her and were AIKEN aboard.
A the time was spent on the City of
Augustine fighting the flames the Cap,
clothes they had on. Captain Gaskill
lost $3.50 worth of ~valuables. His wife
lost all her wardrobe, and the crew their
entire effects"
Besides Captain Gaskill, the officers of
the steamer City of st. Augustine, were
Chief Mate G. H. Crowell, Second Matr
I. Refine. Chief Engineer Peter A. Muir
ply. Assistant Engineer William Man
ming and Steward John Nichols. She
told. Save for a cold contracted by the
chief officer and some of the crew at the
time of the disaster, the shipwrecked
seamen are in good health. Captain
Gaskill resides at Hoboken. N. J.. He is
waiting Instructions from the owner,
which will probably order him to take
his crew to New York.
The City of st. Augustus was about
two-thirds loaded when the disaster
overlook her.
Captain Gaskill states tha when he last
saw his steamer the masts had gone
down by the board and she was entirely
enveloped in flames.