The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-21
ADRIFT IN AN OPEN BOAT
CREW OF FANNIE KERR JoURN-
EYS 800 MILES IN ROUGH SEAS
Little Craft Reaches Safety After
Eight Days of PeriI-Vocanic Erup-
tions in Hawaii Cause Much Heat
in Hilo-Crater Filling Rapidly With
Molten and Settling Lava.
(special Correspondence.)

ship, built but a few years ago at a
cost of nearly 100000, is a floating
derelict somewhere between Hawaii
and Laysan islands.
The Fannie Kerr was bound from
Newcastle to San Francisco with a
cargo of coal, $3.50 tons, leaving the
coal port on April 7. She was COM
manded by Capt. Charles Gibbons and
carried a crew of twenty-nine men.
The vessel had not been at sea very
long before the cargo was discovered
to be on fire and the crew was put to
work trying to confine it to one place.
Finally, finding it beyond control, the
matches were batted down and an effort
made to reach the nearest port. This
was on May % and the fire vas be-
yond all control, and flames burst
forth both fore and aft This disaster
was not unexpected and the boats had
been provsioned for a long cruise. The
Kerr at that time was about 500 miles
northwest of Kauai. Capt. Gibbons,
his son and ten members of the crew
got in one boat and First Officer Lock
wood and eleven men took the other
long boat, While four other men took
the gig. 1t was o'clock in the after
noon of May %, While in north latitude
2S.15 and west longitude 1858 that the
boats were showed off and the last man
had barely left the deck when the ship
blew up with a terrific explosion, shat
tering the upper works and sending
the flames high into the air.
Small Boats at Sea.
Strong northeast winds prevailed
and heavy winds were experienced, so
that within a short time the dingy
was filled, but the four men were talk
en- in by the captain, whose boat for
tunately was still near. For two days
the weather continued very bad and
the crew was doubtful of reaching
land in safety, and heavy rains and
southwest winds, accompanied by dis
agreeable squalls, on the third and
fourth days by no means added to their
comfort. After this the wind shifted
to the northeast, but with frequent
Calms and smooth seas. The two boats
became separated in some manner dur
ing the night and on the next morning
Capt. Gibbons was unable to find any
trace of his fellow men. After eight
days hard work his boat. which for
tunately had a sail, was enabled to
reach Kauai, arriving OF Maxwell on
the morning of June 6. Nothing had
been heard of the other twelve men
and the captain thought they had eth
er gone down during one of the squalls
or had made for the French Frigate
shoals. The British consul in Homo
lulu was Immediately communicated
with and Admiral Merry being called
upon he made arrangements to dis
patch the AlbatrOss and Iroquois in
sells had steam up ready to depart
when further news cameo that one of
the missing boats arrived off Waimea
and a smaller boat off Nibua, both
ports being on the island of Kauai.
Great relief was felt In Honolulu over
the news and the rescue ARRANGE
ments were of course abandoned.
Lost Ship Cost $45O,OOo.
The Fannie Kerr was a fine four
al tich Oh cfn hull
and was built at Liverpool in 1892 at
a cost of $450,00O. She was one of
the finest of the coal-carrying fleet
An effort will probably be made by
Honolulu people to secure the hulk of
the Kerr for the salvage. The hull is
supposed to be floating somewhere off
Laysan island and will be rich prize
1t is not thought that the steel will
be damaged very much and local men
estimate that she will still be worth
from $4,000 to 100000 and will make
an effort to save her. The crew of
the Kerr arrived here today and told
the story of their trip. They did not
suffer to any extent, having had plenty
of food and water though they were
considerably worried at times during
the storms, series of which they en-
COuntered. The men in the small boat
especially had a very rough time of
1t. British Consul Hoare will probably
hold an inquiry to ascertain why the
vessel was abandoned.
Volcano Causes Heat.
The eruption of Kilauea has had the.
effect of making the heat in Hilo, the
nearest town, very oppressive, but
otherwise but title attention is paid to
the outbreak. Nobody expects any
eruption at the summit of the noun
tain, though it would not be surprising
II there was an outbreak at the tides,
followed by lava flow down the
mountains. One result of the out
break has been the discovery on other
parts of the islands of miniature VOL
canoes; that is, smoke is issuing from
the assures of rock near the volcano,
though still miles away and seemingly
not connected with Kilauea excepting
in the bowels of the earth. A definite
report has also been received from
MokuaWoewoe telling of two outbreaks
Of smoke and ashes, though
there has been no indication of an
eruption.
The eruption at Kilauea is very
unusual in it's preceding phenomena.
On every previous occasion the volcano
became apparently extinct and then
came the outbreak. Smoke was entire
Iy absent, the explosion being followed
always by flow of lava. This time.
however, the eruption was preceded by
an outburst of smoke and ashes, fol-
- lowed by an explosion.
Many Visit Mountain.
The volcano is now being visited by
scores of people from Hilo and Homo
lulu, all going toward the scene rather
than away and having no fear of a
repetition of the Martinique disaster.
The crater is filled with smoke and
red volcanic dust is being sent I'D into
the air. The faint light lowering over
the crater is accompanied by faint
Pushes of fire. At times the light
dies down only to flare UP with great
er brilliancy than before. The theory
advanced for this action is that the
lake of fire at the bottom of the pit
flowed lower, as in 1881, and then sud
denly burst out again into dozens of
hre mountains, casting the lava many
feet into the air. A party of eight
men explored the crater, although go
ing only short distance into it. Sui
phur fumes were pouring out of the
cracks in the bed of the pit, but later
In the evening these vapors had en-
ttrely disappeared. While the party
was at the edge of the pit the hole was
filled with a dense cloud of smoke.
which obscured the bottom from them.
and while they were standing there
distinct roar was heard, followed by
heavy slide of rocks. A moment later
the crater was filled with a bright red
light, which gradually died away. Ieav-
ing the place in darkness again.
Crater Filling With Lava.
One of the most peculiar phenomena
OF the presence volcanic disturbance
is the lack of all heat from the hot
cave IN the floor of the crater. The
steam baths are no longer in existence
ellher, no Vapor having appeared since