The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-27
Thrilling Experience
of Captain Kidd.
HIS BRIDE ACCOMPANIED HIM
CHANGES AMONG CUSTOMS OFF,
GERS ON THE FRONT.
Fourth of July Regatta to Be Held
Sunday-Man-of-W War Held Re
sponsible for Running
Down a Junk.

Captain ". r. Kidd Of the British ship
Crompton has had more experience with
burning vessels than perhaps any master
now in port. Last year he was master OF
the HOLLYWOOD and IS now back here for
the first time since that vessel was burned
at sea.
While on her way here from Newcastle,
\. :. w, with coal the Hollinwood's
cargo heated and Captain Kidd had 10 put
into Port LyttIeton, y. T.. in distress
After. getting away from New Zealand he
met the British ship Republic. from New
castle. also for San Francisco. She was
on Ere. and for five days the crew. aided
10y men from the HOLLYWOOD. fought the
flames. but finally they had to retire
beaten. Captain and crew went aboard
the HOLLYWOOD and Captain Kidd brought
them 10 San Francisco. The Republic
burned for several weeks and then sunk
After loading wheat here Captain Kidd
took. the HOLLYWOOD to England, and
from there via a South American port to
Sydney, y. S. W. While in Australia he
WAS married and his bride accompanied
him when the HOLLYWOOD once moro
sailed for England. She was loaded with
WOOL tallow hides. glue copra and lum-
her. and it proved TO be a most disastrous
rargo 10 handle.
=. When the HOLLYWOOD was about 300
. miles southwest Of the Azores a fire was
discovered in the fore hatch Smoke was
coming out Of the Ventilators and things
began 10 look serious. The fore hatch
was taken of and some Of the cargo was
broken out a bale of glue pieces was
found To be on fire and ii was thrown
overheard. The danger was over for the
time being, but i careful watch was kept
Eight days later the smoke began TO come
out of the NehtilatOTS again. and when
the fore hatch was taken off the flames
burst forth with such HerCenesS as to
drive the crew aft.
The fire was discovered during the night
and during the previous day Captain Kidd
had spoken the German bark Pallas and
the British ship Pattardale. When he saw
that the fire " as likely To gain the mas
terry he began firing rockets and stood
down in the direction where he thought
the TWO vessels would he
Soon after the fore hatch was taken off
the cupra caught fire and the fore hold
became q furnace. The heated air blew
NO: 8 hatch of. the foremost began to
settle. the water alongside the vessel be-
gan To sIZZie and the HOLLYWOOD looked
#doQned The men were driven away from
the pumps by the smoke. but buckets
were procured and the fight against the
fire -fiend Went on. Captain Kidd tried
ship in one of the boats. but she would
not desert him. She stayed by the Hol-
linWood to the last and left the vessel
with Captain hidd.
After fighting the fire for twelve hours
Captain Kidd and his crew took the boats
and boarded the Pallas and Patterdale
Captain and Mrs Kidd went on the Pallas
and on September y last reached Eng
land. a Spanish merchantmen put into
the Azores before that date and reported
the HOLLYWOOD on fire and abandoned.
The news was telegraphed all over the
world. and for time Mrs. Kids rela-
tves in Australia gave her up for lost.
4 Danish m3n-Of-War also sighted the
burning ship and cruised around for
nearly a week looking for her boats con-
tanning the crew
Soon after he got back to England the
owners Of the HOLLYWOOD made Captain
Kidd master of the Crompton and he at
once took her To Swansea to load for San
Francisco. She arrived here a few days
ago and Will LOAD wheat for Europe. Cap
tain Kidd has a host Of friends in this
port as he has been coming here for the
past eighteen years as apprentice third
second and first mate. and latterly as
master His new command is one of the
largest and finest steel vessels coming
here. She brought 400 tons OF coal and
coke from Swansea.
- The crew Of the American bark Rufus
r. Wood had an experience during the
voyage from Sydney. y. S W. TO San
Francisco that they Will not forget in a
hurry. On April >. in latitude 80 degrees
south, longitude $50 degrees west a shock
of earthquake made the vessel shiver The
watch below rushed on deck and every
body thought for a moment the vessel had
struck a rock. A rush was made for the
boats, but Captain Mcleod soon recalled
h1s' men to their duty. The pumps were
tried and no leak found, after which an
examination was made. 1t was then seen
from the general appearance Of things
that 1t was an earthquake that had given
the men the scare.
g. Captain Callaghan of the British cruiser