New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-28

full three days In which they were tossed ABOUT
by the waves while explosion after explosion
threatened at any moment TO send the hre-eaten
steamer to the bottom. makes tale seldom
eoualled in the annals OF the merchant marine
The Legislator left Liverpool on February 8
with a miscellaneous cargo, including phosphate
cotton goods and percussion caps, for Colon ana
Central American ports. Nothing out OF the
ordinary occurred until o'clock in the morning
OF the 18TH when without warning an explosion
took place from a hatchway forward Of amid
ships. followed by a tremendous outburst or
smoke and fame.
All the fremen and engineers but one came
tumbng on deck, some of them more or less
burned. The missing man proved to be Thomas
Roberts and 1t not until two days arter-
ward that his charred body was recovered dur
ing lull in the fire. The crew were badly
bandicarped in fighting the fire. 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 was cut off. Captain Tenant asked
for volunteers to rescue the balance or the crew.
Second Officer Bateman and the seaman, Angel
at once offered to row along the side OF the
shin and bring the men aft. One or the ooa!s
was launched with difficulty, as there WAS
heavy sea running and by carefui WORK inc
mon managed to reach the almost doomed NEIL
All were finally taken on board ana the pot''
dronped astern but before the nine men co''u
be nuIled on the afterdeck tremendous Se"
cans,zed the small boat and every man was
thrown into the water. After their neroic "oi
Ra.eman and Angel were the only ones ""o
were not rescued .,
In the mean time through some conius'o"
tn IN a
another boat had been launched, ana IN IL was
tho third officer Martin and the chier ste"aru
John Gaffney. Another big sea swept them
away and they have not been seen since Inc
Nzhting Of the flames still continued a"u "'
.S. era reached the boxes of percussion-caps
there were almost constant explosions In one VI
these Fred E. Lee. the chief COOK was so severe.
" burned that he Jumped overooard ana cou'u
not be saved ,c., a..
At s O'Clock on the morning OF tne io'" '''e
steamer Flowergate. bound 10 this Pof' i'"
Palermo italy hove in sight TWO ooa's were
Immediately lowered from the Flo"ersa'e An''
after three hours, all OF those On poaiu '"'
burning vessel were safely transferred. captain
Tenant being the last to leave. some Oh 'he
crew saved part OF their clothing put ma
tor,ty Of those on board lost everything. Inc
rescue was none too soon, Tor as the rio"e
gate started her engines. the hre was seen
bursting from the after decks OF the Legislator
and the steamer probably entirely con-
sumed not many hours after. The men who had
suffered severe burns while fighting the names
were tenderly cared for on the Flowergate al
though every one was forced to live on half-ra-
tions while on the trip to this port. The IN
iured men are now at the Marine Hospital,
Chelsea. and It is thought that all Will recover
but Holden. the engineer.
The Legislator was a steamer Of 1899 tons net
register 2997 gross tons. Her dimensions were;
Length $50 feet: breadth Of BEAM 40 feet l
inch: depth, 90 feet inches. She was built at
Middlesborough England, in 1883 and was
owned by the Charante Steamship Company OF
Liverpool England.