The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-28
British Steamer Burned 10 the
Water's Edge.
FIVE OF THE CREW DROWNED AND
ONE BURNED TO DEATH.
Remainder of Crew 80 in All with Two
Passengers Were saved-Numbsr Badly
Burned-Cause Spontaneous Combus-
ton in Cargo.

ton in Cargo.
Boston, February 27.-The British
streamer Legislator, Capt. Tennant,
bound from Liverpool for Colon, was
burned at sea February 10th in latitude
3l.23 north and longitude A. 10 west. The
fire broke out on February 18th, and
burned fiercely for three days, during
which time fireman named Thomas
Roberts was burned to death, the second
officer, James Bateman, and seaman,
VIM. Angel were drowned by the capsiz-
| ing of a boat the third officer, Martin,
and chief steward, John Gaffney' went
adrift in another boat, and the chief cook,
Fred e. Lee, being crazed with fearful
burns jumped overheard. The rest of the
crew Of thirty men with two passengers,
DIR. VIM. E. Mortimer and wife, of Lon
don, were rescued by the fruit steamer
Flowergate, and brought to this port ar
riving here this morning. Four OF the
crew, Chief Engineer John Traughear,
Second Engineer John Holden, Fourth
Engineer Robert Min and Seaman Chas
Robinson were so severly injured that
they were taken to the marine hospital on
arrival here. Holden is not expected to
live.
The Legislator left Liverpool February
23 with miscellaneous cargo including
phosphate, cotton goods and percussion
caps for Colon and Central American
ports.
| Nothing out of the ordinary occurred
until four O'Clock on the morning OF the
18th inst, when without warning an ex-
plosion took place from hatchway for
ward of amidships followed by great
outburst of smoke and flame. All the
flremen and engineers but one came
tumbling on deck, some of them more or
less burned. The missing man was Thos.
Roberts and it was not until two days
after that his charred body was recovered
during lull in the fire.
The crew were badly handicapped in
| fighting the fire, as the hose and pumping
engine were disabled or consumed, Soon
after the fire started it spread SO rapidly
| that the forward part of the boat on
which were seven men were cut off an0
the captain asked for volunteers to rescue
the balance of the crew. Second Officer
Bateman and a seaman, VIM. Angel, at
once offered to row along the side OF the
ship and bring the men aft. One of the
boats was launched with difficulty as
there was heavy sea running and by
careful work managed to reach the almost
doomed men.
All were finally taken on board and the
boat dropped astern, but before the nine
men could be pulled on deck, a tremen-
dous sea capsized the small boat and
every man was thrown into tho water.
Bateman and Angel were the only ones
who were not rescued. Meantime another
boat had been launched and in it was the
third officer Martin. and Chief Steward
Gaffney. Another big sea swept them
away and they have not been seen since.
The fighting of the flames still continued
and as the flames reached the boxes of
caps there were almost constant explo-
sions. In one Of them, Fred r. Lee, the
chief cook, was SO severely burned that he
Jumped overheard and could not be
saved.
At O'Clock in the morning of the 10th
the e'steamer Flowergate bound here from
Palermo, Italy, hove in sight. Two boats
were Immediately lowered and after three
hours, all on board the burning vessel
were safely transferred, Captain Tennant
being the last to leave. Some of the crew
saved part of their clothing but a
majority of those on board lost every
thing. The rescue was none too snon,
for as the Flowergate started her engines
the fire was seen bursting from the after
decks and the steamer was probably en-
tirely consumed not many hours after.
The men who had suffered severe burns
while fighting the flames were tenderly
cared for on the Flowergate although
everyone was forced to live on half ra-
tions. The injured are now at the hos
pital Mt Chelsea and it is thought all will
recover but Engineer Holden. The ship
was steamer of 1889 tons net register,
2. .997 gross tons. She was built at Middle
borough, Eng in 1888, and was owned
by the Charante Steamship company OF
Liverpool. Eng.
The rescued passengers aud crew will be
sent to England by the British consul.
THE WEATHER.