The evening times., 1895-10-24
CAPTAIN And CREW SAVED
Abandoned Their Doomed Vessel
and We're Picked Up.
Their Last View of the St Augustine
Showed Her Entirely EnveL
oped in Flames

Boston, Oct. 24.-Thc crew of the steamer
City of ST. Augustine. which vessel was
abandoned at sea, ablaZe from stem Ia
stern, is safe, having been picked up by
the steamer City of Macon, Capt Lewis,
from Savannah, Ga, which arrived here
this morning.
Capt. John II Gaskill, the commander
of the jlI-fated City of st. Augustine,
makes the following report:
THE City OF ST. Augustine sailed on
her regular trip from New York for Flor
ida at midnight last Saturday night. Moth
ing unusual transpired until lI:oO O'Clock
Monday night, when the men at work in
the fireroum discovered dense smoke
emanating from the coal bunkers, fire
room and engine room.
Upon investigation ii was found that the
cargo in the main hold was on lire. The
cargo in this part of the vessel consisted
OF cases OF mercha ndise, which were slowed
nearly To the vessels deck, making il i'm
possible to get at the fire.
ITO remove the matches meant the quick
er destruction Of the ship. and the hand eX-
tinguishers, hose, and steam from the
boilers were turned into the hold through
the coal bunkers and the engine room,
and the fight to save the ship began.
For three quarters Of an hour tile flames
were HcHi DIT Ddy- DIt SuuueflIN tue steam
in the boilers gave oat, and the fire began
to make rapid Roadway. Seeing that it
was impossible to save the steamer, steps
were taken to abandon her
There We're about 200 barrels of oil
slowed Just back of where the fire origi-
mated. and as the flames We're gradually
working in that direction the preparations
to leave the ship were speedily made.
The port and starboard lifeboats were
captains wife to a place in the stern Of
one of the boats, left the burning ship and
dropped astern, where they caught the
log line, and by this means remained in
position about eighty fathoms from the
burning steamer.
Cape Hatteras by this time bore north
by west eighteen miles distant. The sea
was comparatively smooth. About fifteen
minutes after the crew had abandoned the
steamer the pilot-house, midship house.
and decks We're mass of flames. The oil
had not at that time ignited.
AFTER remaining about three-quarters
OF an hour In the boats, the City Of Macon,
attracted by the burning vessel, hove to
near by, and we then cut loose from the
log line and rowed to her and were taken
aboard.
As the time was spent on board the
City of St. Augustine in fighting the flames.
the 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 Gaskin the officers of
the steamer City of st. Augustine were
chief mate c. H. Crowell; second mate.
1. Refine; chief engineer, Peter A. Muir
ply; assistant engineer, VIM. Manning,
and steward, John Nichols. She carried
n crow of Savpnfaau mon q told
Save for cold contracted by the chief
officer and some of the crew at the time
of the disaster, the ship-wrecked seamen
are in good health. Captain Gaskill is
aw aiting instructions from his owners,
who win probably order him to take his
crew to New York.
Captain Gaskill states that when he last
saw bis Steamer the masts had gone by the
board and she was entirely enveloped in
flames.
Have Won rnOmS TO rent1 Pit a "want'