The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1896-05-28
DISABLED STEAMER.
In at Southport In q Distressed Con.
ditiOn.

ObllOn.
WILMINGTON, n. C., May %, 1896.
EDITOR GOLD LEAF-To all who are in
tcrested in the Cuban struggle for indie
pendence, the following letter may be Of
interest:
On May Goth, in my travels, l had oc-
cason to visit Southport, n. c., which is
the port of Wilmington, and on the way
down the Cape Fear river l noticed
about one fourth of a mile from the
wharf at Southport, lying at anchor, an
iron vessel ian English tramp az l sup
posed, as she was flying the English flag).
Forward of the bridge she was very
much SCARED as if by fire. Upon inquiry
l found this boat had quite a history,
coupled with chapter of accidents. She
was the Horsa, and if the readers OF this
article will reflect little they will call to
mind the fact that her former crew are
now being tried in the Z. S. Court in
New York, for carrying a successful tili-
clustering expedition to Cuba, after
which she put out for Jamaica, where
she loaded with bananas for New York.
When few days out at sea the watch
about O'Clock in the morning discOv-
cred smoke arising from the fore hold
and upon investigation found the ship
was on fire. An alarm was sounded and
all hands called Oh deck. All the hero
ism that is born in a seaman was brought
to bear, but with no avail. 1t was i'm
possible to check the progress of the
flames. Orders were then given to lower
and provision the life boats, the crew not
knowing how long they would be COM
PEELED to stay in them until picked up by
some passing vessel. But fortune smiled
upon them. After floating around the
burning ship for "a hours the fire
burned down low enough for them to go
aboard again and put out the shoulder
ing remains with buckets of water. And
a happier crew never trod the deck when
they found out the ship was only burned
forward of the bridge.
The sleeping quarters, pilot house and
steering gear, engines, coal and every
thing aft was as intact as when they
started on their voyage. Work was then
begun to tighten the ship forward in
order to throw the bow high enough to
keep the seas from baling her full and
swapping her. 1000 punches of ba-
nannas were thrown overheard. All
went we'll again until the End night after
the fire, when Captain Cooper (the ships
mastery disappeared, and nothing has
been heard or seen of him since. He was
last seen on the bridge and talked with
the mate about O'Clock. When it was
discovered he was missing a search was
instituted and when it was found he was
not aboard First Mate Mcintosh took
command and put into the first port,
that he might note protest and apprise
her owners who are in New York, of her
distressed condition. One of them ar
rived last night and left Immediately
for Southport, and l learned his inten-
tons were to leave for New York this
morning, with the ship.
Capt. Harper, Of the steamer Whining
ton, very kindly ran his boat alongside
the Horsa that we might get look at
her. She is terrible looking sight, the
paint having been burned off her sides,
and in her forward hold chaos reigns.
The siron supports and braces are
twisted in all kinds Of shapes and it
seems an act of Providence that she was
not totally destroyed.
W. w. BRISCOE.