The San Francisco call., 1896-07-31
THE CEDARBANK
AGAIN ON FIRE,
About Three Years Ago
She Came. Into Port
All Ablaze.
CREW WAS PowERLEss.
They Could Not Control the Con.
flagration Until Help Was
Sent Them.
IT WAS A MARROW ESCAPE,
As It Is the Underwriters Will Have
to Pay Over Ten Thousand
Dollars.
IT WAS A MARROW ESCAPE.

The water front was thoroughly excited
for the first time in two months yesterday.
The British ship Cedarbank at Howard
street wharf, was afire and a still alarm
drew all the Harbor Commissioners fire.
boats and the Spreckels tugs to the rescue.
The Alert and Yigilant both made rush
for the ship, but the State tugs were
nearest, and when the Alert arrived the
fire was under control.
Superintendent Hawley of the "Black
Stack" line was one of the first men on
the scene and he rendered valuable assist
ance in directing the men at work. The
damage will probably amount to $4,000
and the underwriters will have to stand
the loss.
The Cedarbank arrived here on the 22d
inst. with a general cargo from Antwerp.
In the forward hold was large quantity
of bottles cased in straw for the use of the
English syndicate breweries in this State.
Since "Iree trade" obtained these bottles
have been imported from Germany, and
every lager beer bottle opened in San
Francisco is manufactured in Germany.
Thousands of those bottles were ruined in
Yesterdays fire, and while the foreign un-
deryriters may lose the local glasshlowers
may gain.
The forward hold OF the Cedarbank is
full of infiammable goods, while the after
part of the ship is full of cement.
Tom Mulvey of w. P. Fuller & Co. was
the first man to notice that the Cedarbank
was on fire. He did not waste any words,
! but at once ran and informed Captain
Brown, Superintendent OF the State tugs.
Brown telephoned to the Governor Mark
! ham, and in ten minutes Captain ]. #.
Petzinger had her under way. In enter
ing the Howard street slip Captain Petz-
! niger found that a breast lire from the
coal barge Courser barred his way. He
did not hesitate an instant, but cut the line
| awav and a few minutes later had a stream
PLAYING into the Cedarbank's hold.
Captain Moody was anxious to save all
he could and attempted to drown the fire
/ from the main hatch. He only succeeded
! in a measure, and it was only when a
| great quantity of cargo was removed and
| the fore hold flooded that the fire was got
under.
The cement IN the after part of the ship
will be subjected to general average. The
| bulk of il is as good as ever, but consid-
| erabIe portion has been injured by water,
| and is therefore almost useless. Just how
the vessel caught fire is q mystery, but
/ the general impression is that some OF the
! longshoremen or apprentices were smok-
ing in the hold during the lunch hour
and a spark fell into the straw and it
smoldered until the fire broke out into a
blazing mass.
This is the sec ond time the Cedarbank
has been on FIRE in the bay of San Fran
cisco. About three years ago Captain
Moody was bringing her from Newcastle,
N s. W., with cargo of coal. When
| thirtv-two days from port the coal caugh ht
| fire and for full month the crew fought
it. Time and again the men were driven
| forward, but when lull came they went
| back TO the main deck and shoveled coal
out of the burning mass.
When the Farallones were reached Cap
tain Moody ordered the matches battened
down and at once accepted tow. Once
at anchor he sent ashore for assistance
The ''bank" line seems to always meet
with misfortunes in San Francisco. The
Elm bank was on Gre with cargo of sui
phur at Union-street wharf many years
ago and the salvage claims are not yet
settled. The Gowanbank met with a
number of misfortunes, and now comes
the Cedarbank for her second experience.