The San Francisco call., 1899-01-25
CaValiere Ciampa's
Narrow Escape.
FIVE TUGS WORKED ON HER
oAKUM, SAILS AND OIL IN THE
LAZARETTE ABLAZE.
Transports Ready to Sail-Schooners
in Hard Luck-Strike on the
Morgan City-For the
Klondike Again. -"

A fire broke out in the lazarette of the
Italian ship Cavaliere Ciampa early yes
terday afternoon and it was with diff
Guilty that the tugs Reliance and Alert
succeeded in putting it out. In fact, at
one time the danger looked so great that
the ships lines were cast off and the tugs
started to tow her to the mud flats to fill
her full of water AS ii was, the cabin
floor had TO be torn up and a bulkhead
knocked away in order to reach the seat
of the fire
The Cavaliere Ciampa arrived here from
Swansea on January II with 2543 tons of
coal. Monday last she went to the gas
works 10 discharge and yesterday the
work of unloading her began. About
p. m. a fire was discovered in the after
lazarette. The place was full of sails,
rope, oakum, oil and other inflammable
material, and in a few minutes the cabin
was full of smoke. Flames quickly fol-
lowed, and Captain Maresca lost no time
in giving an alarm. A telephone message
brought the tugs Reliance and Alert to
the scene, but it was found almost i'm
possible to reach the fire. The smoke
was so dense in the cabin that it was
dangerous to enter, so an attempt was
made to get hose to play on the fire by
cutting away the after bulkhead. In this
way the Reliance and Alert got five
streams into the lazarette, but still the
A still alarm was then sent to the Po-
trero fire station and one engine re-
.sponded. Ii was at this time that the or
ders went forth TO cast off the Vessel's |
mooring lines and take her TO the mud
flats. Just as she was about to be moved
away the order was countermanded ana
the firemen got into the cabin and tore
up the flooring covering the lazarettS. |
The Alert got her hose into this opening
and the fire was soon under control.
While the Reliance and Alert were hard
al work pumping thousands of gallons of
water into the burning ship the tug Mon
arch came along and she also made fast
and turned a stream of water on the fire.
Later the tugs Sea King and Sea Queen
came along. but by that time the fire
past. The Reliance and Alert remained
them nearly all of o-day TO pump the
water out of the vessel again.
II was lucky the fire was confined to
the lazarette, as had II spread to the
saved the Cavaliere Ciampa.
Another feet of transports is being
made ready to start for Manila. The
time and is now lying al Harrison street
wharf awaiting the passengers who will |
sail on her. The Scandia at Pacific street !
wharf has nearly, all her cargo aboard |
and the soldiers who are TO go by her are
expected to-day. 1t is expected that these |
Two vessels will sail tomorrow or Friday |
at the latest.
The Ohio has been docked at Folsom |
street and the Senator will go alongside |
the Oceanic wharf as soon as the Mari !
posa sails tonight. Both these vessels |
viii carry large quantity of supplies !
ana nearly regiment each. They can /
be got ready for sea in week and will |
probably follow the Scandia and Morgan |
City about February l. The Scandia |
should reach Manila early in March, and !
is TO relieve the California boys the |
chances are that the latter will return |
on that troop ship. That would land the |
naive sons in California early in Nav
81 m oil he
transports yesterday. He inspected every |
mole and corner of each vessel and made !
uons and the soldiers quarters. There |
Will be no cause to grumble on these |
troop ships if he can help it.
Inc crack steamer Humboldt came out |
OF retirement yesterday and is again 90 |
Ing into the Klondike trade At the close |
OF last season she was thoroughly over
which she was laid up at Antioch for the |
winter. She was brought down yesterday |
and docked at her old berth at Washing !
ton-street wharf. She viii leave for Sc !
attie next Sunday, and Will hereafter run
between Seattle and Skaguay direct. All
the other steamers on the route stop at
Wrangei, Juneau and Dyea, but the |
Alaska flyer" will only have the two
ports OF call, and Captain Bonniheld ex-
pegs Ts 10 make the run In siXty-two hours. !
are having hard luck. The Volant left |
here on October and the Seven Sisters
on October % for Nehalem River They
got in over the bar and secured a load
Of lumber all right but while loading was
going on the river had fallen so low that
they could not get out again. The Asto-
rian says:
1t is thought the schooners can be taken
over the bar without removing any of their
cargoes. as the winter freshets have cut q new
channel leading 10 the ocean of sufficient depth
70 allow them TO pass through. The new chan /
mel runs 'close to the south side of the barbor
ana the old one. on the north side, is now en- /
tlrely closed up. There is eighteen feet OF |
water in the new channel at high tide and with |
this depth 1t is thought little difficulty will be |
found In taking the schooners to sea When /
the schooners last attempted to cross out they |
STUCK on the bar and the Noante is leaking |
at the rate Of two inches hoHp Her ruddeT
ana piece Of the keel were carried aWay /
by the accident. Her repairs will cost $4,000 |
ana the Seven Sisters is also injured to the |
extent Of over $500.
The bark Mohican, which sailed from
Honolulu on the 18th inst. for San Fran
cisco, went on a reef while making her
way 70 sea. The captain tried to sail out
ana when in mid-channel the wind fell
Hght ana the bark drifted on Miowera