The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1897-01-07
ALARsE SCHOONER


Island Sound Yesterday Morning-Cart-
ridges and Kerosene on Board-The
Escape of the Crew.
South Norwalll, Jan. 6-The three
masted schooner S. M. L, Bounelle,
Captain Allen, hailing from st. John,
N. b., and bound for New Zealand with
a general cargo consisting partly of
cartridges and kerosene oil, was burn
ed to the waters edge early this morn
ing about a mile and half southeast
of the Norwalk Light,
The first to sight the burning vessel
was Captain Frederick Rogers of the
tug Mary Ann, bound for New Haven,
and having two coal barges from New
York in tow. .-.
Captain Rogers first saw the large
three-masted schooner at 9:15 p. m. yes
terday, when she was about quarter
of a mile ahead of him. AT that time
there was no sign of life on her, and
he could just see that her side lights
were lighted and all her sails set.
1t was nearly a dead calm at this
time, what little breeze there was being
about west-northwest.
He soon overhauled her and saw that
there was a fire aft. He expected that
she would send UP rockets, but every
thing appeared to be quiet on board,
and he could not see that any attempt
was being made to extinguish the fire.
Suddenly he observed a couple of
lifeboats, one in tow, making across
his bows, but keeping pretty quiet and
making for the NorWalk Light. Mean
while the tide, which was at the flood,
| had left her stern to the wind, and the
| flames began to sweep forward clear
over the deck. Then he noticed that,
although all her sails were set she was
at anchor
| He hailed the lifeboats, which stop
| ped Immediately. On approaching near
er he observed that the boats were
filled with the clothes and chests of the
crew, four of whom, except one with
the skipper, were in the first boat. The
other was in the second holding a Ian
| tern up on the end of an oar. There
was no hose or other means of fighting
fire on board the tug, but Captain Rog-
ers asked the skipper of the schooner if
he wanted any help in putting out the
| fire.
The skipper replied For Gods sake.
captain, don't go near her. She's load
ed with cartridges and kerosene oil"
He then came aboard the tug, ordering
the crew to stay in the boats.
Captain Rogers, after questioning
him about the vessel, asked him If he
wanted the crew taken care of, but the
offer was refused, the skipper saying
that they would stay by the ship until
she went down, and then would row
for the light.
| The story of Captain Allen, the skip
per of the Bounelle, is that the mate
had lamp at the poop hatch, the stern
aft of the cabin, the bottom of which
in some mysterious manner, dropped
out, and the burning oil was scattered
over the deck The mate was not hurt
Captain Allen gave no reason for de-
sorting his vessel without making the
least attempt to put out the fire, except
that he said there were cartridges and
kerosene oil among the cargo.
Captain Rogers of the tug said that
it was a shame to abandon the
schooner SO quickly, unless the car
trdges Captain Allen alleges Were
among the cargo, were slowed away
under the cabin, where the fire started
\ and this, he says, would be an unusua
place to put a part of the cargo. He
watched her until her mizzenmast
burned off ard fell into the water, the
side-lights being still lit. At 2:30 she
was out of sight.
/ The Bounelle was a splendid three
masted schooner, registered 500 tons
and was built six years ago.
Two oyster steamers arrived here
this morning, having the burning hull
of vessel in tow. One mast was gone
when she was first sighted, and the
two others fell at and O'Clock thi:
morning.
Pilot A. F. Bishop of this, city of tht
steamer Erastus Corning of the Starr
line, arriving from New York thi
morning, reports passing a burning
vessel and called the attention of the
quartermaster to the illumination. Tht
Corning had just got to the head o
the sound and in an hour and a hal
they came up with the vessel. Tit
fire was discovered at 1 a m. AT abou
2 80 the Corning came opposite the con
fagration and within 300 yards of thu
flaming hull. After investigating ant
finding that the officers and crew ha(
escaped, no doubt safely in the boats
the steamer proceeded on her way. TIL,
water was very smooth