Pike County press. (Milford, Pa.) 1895-1925, 1896-02-14
'TW1xT TWO DEATHS
Dou5LE PERIL OF THE olLsHlP eRE-
MERHAveN FOR MANY HOURS.

Storm Tossed and Her Hold AbIase-Only
Choice Between Deaths. It Seemed,
For All on Board-The Ship Saved
while the Men Are Heroes.
The Dutch oil tank steamer Bremen
haven. 2,57e tons burden, crawled into
the port Of New York the other after
noon battered by the sea and scorched
BY fire. She made her way up the Mar
rows, and finally dropped anchor off
stapleton. Then the crew, worn out by
the dangers they had endured, sought
rest Captain NJ W. MINES said every
one of them was hero.
In the big tanks Of the steamer, when
she left Baltimore, Jan. 18, bound for
Antwerp, were 800, 600 gallons Of oil,
and in the hold were 1000 empty bar
rels
Outside the capes the Bremerhaven
encountered heavy weather. A long,
rolling swell tossed the ship and set the
oil in the tanks churning. The wind in
creased to a strong gale, with tremen-
dously high seas from the northeast,
which broke over the bows and filled the
main deck.
Captain MINES stood on the bridge
hour after hour while the waves batter
cd his boat. No one could live ON the
main deck The port boats were washed
from their davits and smashed into
kindling wood. Everything loose was
swept away.
Despite the gale the captain held his
course all Monday, hoping to get be-
yond the storms scope. He was still ON
the bridge at 745 p. m, about 270
miles -out from Cape Henry, when an
engineer ran ON deck and reported that
the oil was escaping.
A fireman down in the stoke hole had
noticed a little stream of oil running
out from the coal bunkers and spreading
over the iron floor Of the room. Wet
ashes were quickly thrown on it and
search made for the leak. The bunker
doors were closed and every precaution
was taken to prevent the oil from reach
ing the fires.
The engineers and firemen climbed
into the bunkers to hunt for the leak. A
moment later there was a gush of oil
that flooded the room and poured under
the boilers
Like flash it ignited and flames burst
forth on all Sides The men ran for
their lives and luckily escaped without
serious injury.
The cry, "Firel Fire" reached the
captain on the bridge above the howl
ing Of the gale. Smoke rolled up from
the hold, and, with the smell of burning
oil, nearly sti6ed ali on board It SEEM
ed as if nothing could save the ship and
the lives ON board of her now.
The captain did not hesitate a mo-
ment. Calling the first officer to the
bridge to navigate the ship, he went be-
low with every man to fight the fire.
Should it reach the tanks all would be
doomed.
The stokehole was a raging furnace.
The fire hose was quickly run below
and the donkey engine started. Chief
Engineer Craven, his assistants and
stood at their posts, although the heat
was intense.
To stop the engines would let the ship
swing around into the trough of the sea
and probably capsize, yet all passages
for air to the stokehole could not be
cut off as long as the engine ran. The
captain feared the sea less than the fire,
and he ordered the engines shut down.
Then all hands were set to work plug
ging with canvas every open space that
could furnish draft.
Sails were packed into the openings; !;
hatchways were battened down. The
sailors stuffed their coats and bedding
into cracks and crevices. The little don
key engine was pouring water down be-
low. The steam gauges were smashed
to let clouds Of steam fill the stokehole.
The engine ran for an hour, and then
there was no more steam left. Gradual
ly the fire was smothered.
Meantime the helpless ship was toss
log In the trough Of the sea. She was
swept time and again by waves, and
water poured down on the fire fighters
below. Two small boats were left, and
part Of the crew were set to putting
water and provisions in them.
After seven hours of work below, the
fire was partly under control. At day
break the stoke hole was opened and all
signs Of fire had disappeared.
Having saved themselves from one
danger, the crew had now to face anoth-
er. The gale had increased and the ship
was in danger of laundering every min
ute. The stoke hole was full of water
and no fires could be lighted under the
boilers.
All hands were provided with buckets
to be used for baling. Every lurch Of
the ship tumbled stoke hole plates, coal
and everything loose from side TO side.
For "a hours they worked unceasing-
ly, finally getting the water out sufl-
ciently to allow fires to be lighted un-
der the starboard boiler. A little steam
was raised and the bilge pump started.
At 80 p m. Wednesday, after two
days Of work without sleep, part of the
crew found rest. Sufficient steam had
been raised then to allow the engines to
be started slowly and the Bremerhaven
was headed for New York.
Following the gale dense fog arose
and the sea s.ill remained high. At
a. m. Friday Captain MINES, to make
sure of his bearings, hove to and cast
the lead rather than run the risk Of
stranding on the Jersey coast as the st.
Paul did. The lead brought mp white
sand, with black spots, at 20 fathoms,
and from the chart be found his posi-.
tion. He kept on his course for Sandy
Hook and in the afternoon picked up a
pilot.
The fog grew more dense. and Cap
tain MINES anchored for the night close
20 the whistling buoy. He heard around
him the fog horns and whistles Of big
steamers, but could see nothing OF either
the st. Paul or the Campania. When