The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-28
BRITISH STEAMER BURNED.
Several of the Officers and Others
Were Drowned OF Burned

BOSTON, Feb. 2I.-The British
steamer Legislator, Captain Tenant,
bound from Liverpool for Colon. was
burned at sea February 10th, in lati-
tude 81 % north, longitude All west.
The fire broke out on February 18th
and burned fiercely for three days,
during which time Fireman Thomas
Roberts was burned to death, Second
Officer James Bateman and Seaman
William Angel were drowned by the
capsizing of boat; Third Officer Mar,
tin and Chief Steward John Gaffney
went adrift in another boat, and Chief
Cook Fred E. Lee, craZed with fearful
burns, jumped overheard. The rest
of The crew of thirty men, with two
passengers, DR.. VIM. E. Mortimer and
wife OF London, were rescued by the
fruit steamer Flower Gate and brought
to this pert, arriving here to-day. roC:'
of the crew, Chief Engineer John
Troayhear, Engineer John Holden,
Fourth Engineer Robert Min and Sea-
man Charles Ibblitson We're so severely
! injured that they were taken 10 the
Marine Hospital on arriving at his port.
Holden is not expected to live.
The suffering of those who survived
the fearful three days in which they
We're tossed about by the waves. while
explosion after explosion threatened to
send the fire-bound steamer to the
bottom, makes tale seldom equaled
in the annals of the merchant marine
The Legislator left Liverpool on FeD-
ruary Sd with a miscellaneous cargo.
| including phosphate, cotton goods and
percussion caps, for Colon and Central
American ports. AT + o'clock on The
morning of the 18th, without warning
an explosion took place from half
way forward of amidships, followed by
a tremendous Outburst of smoke and
flames. The firemen and engineers al
but one came tumbling on deck, some
of them more or less burned. The
missing man was Thomas Roberts, and
it was not until two days after that
his charred body was recovered dur
ing lull in the fire. The crew was
badly Handicapped in fighting the fire.
as the hose and pumping engine were
disabled or consumed.
The fires spread so rapidly that the
forward Fart of the boat. on which
We're seven men, was cut, and CAPTAIN
Tenant called for volunteers to rescue
the remainder of the crew Second Of
ficer Batcman and Seaman William
Angel AT once offered to row aloag-
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 man
aged TO reach the almost doomed n,er.
All We're finally taken on board ard
the boat dropped astern, but before the
Y1in he
deck a tremendous sea capsized the
small beat and every man was thrown
into the water. After their heroic
work Bateman and Angel were the
only ones who were not rescued. In
the meantime, through some confusion.
another boat had been launched. and
in it were Third officer Martin and
Chief Steward John Gaffney. Another
big sea swept them away. They have
not been since seen. The fighting
of the flames still continued, and as
the fire reached the boxes of percussion
caps there We're almost constant ex-
plosions. During one of these Fred F..
Lee, the chief cook, was severely
burned. and he jumped overheard and
could not be saved.
AT o'clock in the morning of the
10th the steamer Flower Gate, from
Palermo. hove in sight.
Tow boats We're Immediately lowered
from the Flower Gate and after three
hours all those on board the burning
vessel were safely transferred, Cap
tain Tenant being the last to leave.
Some of the crew saved a part of their
clothing, but a majority of those on
board lost everything. The rescue was
none TOO soon, for as the steamer Flow
er Gate started the engine the fire was
seen bursting from the after-deck of
the Legislator, and the steamer was
apparently consumed not many hours
after.
The Legislator was steamer of So,
tons net register. 2,99I gross tons Her
dimensions We're: Length $50 feet.
breadth 40 feet ] inch. depth 20 feet
> inches. She was built at Middleton
ough, England. in 1888, and was ownei
by the Charante Steamship Company of
Liverpool.