Evening journal., 1898-07-28
SHIP ON FIRE AT SEA
Terrible Experience of the
Steamer Ardandhu.
SHE ENTERED PORT STILL BURNING.
Bravery of Officers Prevents a Panic
Nearly Run Down In Heavy Fog.
None of the Passengers or
Crew Injured.

NEW YORK, July 2S.-The steamer
Ardandhu of the Tweedie line. trading
between West India ports and this
city, came up the bay yesterday with
heavy list to starboard and the cargo
stored in her lower hold on fire.
The fire first made its appearance at
half past o'clock Monday night.
when. If the vessel had made an unin-
terrupted voyage, she should have been
off the Jersey shore and close TO Sandy
Hook. But leaSy boilers and the break
ing down Of her engines delayed the
Ardahdhu at least 80 hours. and at the
time Of the discovery CT the flames, in
hold No. 3, the ship was of Fenwick's 8
island, on the coast Of Maryland.
The widest excitement followed the
outbreak OF the fire. and several Of the
II steerage passengers. all Jamaicans,
endeavored to seize the lifeboats.
Third Mate Percy Sanders nipped this
attempt in the bud With pointed re-
volver he forced the steerage men from
the three lifeboats, which were Of am
pie size to accommodate the So persons
aboard crew and passengers. Some Of
the Jamaicans had clambered into the
boats, but Captain Walker and his men
threw them out and restored discipline.
Preparations were first made for the
saving OF the lives Of the women and
children on the vessel. The three life
boats were lowered into the sea, which
luckily was quite calm, and the ships
officers stood by the rope ladder dang
ling from the SIDE Of the vessel. Thus
a panic was averted and the safety OF
the SO persons on board the Ardandhu
assured.
While the lifeboats were being look
ed after and provisioned. Captain Walk
er was making an investigation as C
the extent OF the fire The flames were
pouring out OF the six metal ventilators
aft and amidships, and smoke which
filtered through the hatch covers was
thick and sitting.
The heat was so intense and tho
smoke was so heavy that It was for q
timo unsafe for the passengers to re.
main on tho upper deck. They were al
ordered forward, and the women ant
children were put into the lifeboats
each Of which had a full supply Of foot
and water on board and was supplied
with compass and signal rockets.
It was nearly midnight before Cap
tain Walker who in the meantime haC
ordered steam turned into the Lowel
hatch, tho ventuatOrs removed and tn,
holes covered and hatch covers battenet
down. considered that he had tho fire II
check and decided 10 continue on hi
way to New York.
The women and children were ta&eI
back on board and the lifeboats hoiste,
10 the davits but not taken on board
PurseT Greig Pennington, Stewart
George DOwney, First Mate John Lee
Second Mate John Sharpe. Third Mat
Sanders and Engineer Peter McBrid
from then on kept watch over the life
boats to prevent the JamalcanA, VIII
appeared to bo terror stricken. from dc
Sertlng the burning steamer In them
At daylight Tuesday the ship wac en-
veloped by thick fog and that cam
near causing her to collide with
steamship Of tust about her own sise.
It was miraculous escape. for tn
Ardandhu cut across tho stranger
bow, and they were less than go yard
apart when the Tweedio liner freed her
self.
From Quarantine Captains Wray an
Braisted of the flrebpats Zophar MIL
and New Yorker. stationed at the Bat
terry, were notified that the Ardandhu'
cargo was burning and at II a. IN
nearly three hours after the Tweed
liner reached port, assistance was forth
coming. The Mills met the Ardandh
in the bay and accompanied her to Pie
1, North river
AS soon as the passengers were land
ed the Mills flremen got TO work. an
through the afternoon fought the flame
in the lower hold. which contains a gen
eral cargo Of 2s barrels Of rum. logwoo
and cocOanuts.
The fire is supposed TO have bee
caused by the steerage passenger
throwing lighted cigarettes In the ven
tilatOrs.