The Republican journal., 1903-10-22
Forty Years of Sea Life.

N0pSs SIllUuClS WVASt 0AkS@~SAASS w Nv
in the Southern Pacific With his Ship
on Fire.
Forty-three times around Cape Horn
is the remarkable record made by Capt.
David A. Scribner, one of the best
known ship-masters who ever left
Brunswick. His maritime experience
covered forty years, beginning in 1860,
when he went to sea in the Brunswick
built ship Consignment, and ending i'll
1900, when he delivered the ship Henry
B. Hyde to her owners in California
Capt. Scribner is now one of the trus-
tees of Sailors Snug Harbor, the home
of 945 sailors on Staten Island, and is
vice president of the Marine Society in
New York. Referring to his sea life he
says he found much pleasure in it, ex-
cepting the time when his ship caught
fire. II have made friends all over the
world" says Capt. Scribner, "and if !
had my life to live over again would
choose the same profession. l have
seen in my forty years at sea good
many ship-masters, and as class OF
men | have great respect for them:
Capt. Scribner was born in TOpSham,
the son of David Scribner, the senior
member of the firm of d. & c. E. Serb
ner, which was established in 1889. He
succeeded his fatherin the firm, but has
never been actively connected with the
business, having made his home IN New
York City. 1t is a singular fact that
the last voyage made by Capt. Scrlbner
brought to him the worst experience in
his sea-faring career. Having sailed
out of Norfolk on the snip Henry B.
Hyde with coal for Honolulu, he was
off Cape Horn when he found that the
ship and cargo were on fire, the result
of spontaneous combustion.
Over thousand miles from the near
est port, and in latitude famous for
its gales, the situation was a most des-
perate one. Capt. Scribner set at work
throwing the coal overheard to get at
the fire, but after two days OF hard
work, the smoke and gas made 1t I'M
possible for the men to live below
decks, and he headed the ship for Val
paraiso, Chill, 400 miles away. 1t was
a battle for life. While constantly pre-
pared to take to the boats, the heavy
weather made such a course suicidal
and they kept up the fight. Ten days
after the fire was discovered the ship
arrived in Valparaiso. Capt. Scrlbner
had burned his hands severely and lack
of suitable care resulted in blood poison
ing. The surgeons told him that ampu-
tation of his hands was the only thing
that could save his life, but Capt Serb
ner thought differently and recovered
without their assistance.
Having arrived in port they filled the
ship as full of water as possible, and
drowned out the fire, which was mostly
in the bottom of the ship. Two thou
sand tons of coal were discharged to
ascertain the damage, and it was found
to be more serious than was anticipated,
but the ship was allowed to proceed to
Honolulu, her destination, with half OF
the cargo.
After repairing the ship in Honolulu,
Capt. Scribner turned her over to the
California owners, who had bought her
while on the passage out. lie took
steam passage to San Francisco and
came home.
The hardships of fighting fire night
and day, the terrible experience in that
run from Cape Horn to Valparaiso,
when any moment the ship might have
blown up, or the bottom burned through,
is chapter that Capt. Scribner disllkes
to recall. He prefers to think OF the
pleasant experiences.
Mrs. Scribner sailed with him seven
teen years, going around Cape Horn
twenty-one times, and their three chll
dren also were with them until they
became from ten to fourteen years OF
age.
Capt. Scribner remained on the ship
Cons ignment two years. leaving her te
90 with Capt. George Melcher in the
Shin Chas. S. Pennell, which was built
in Brunswick. He also sailed in the
same ship with Capt. Robert Giveen
who died on the passage from the Isle
of Sicily to Portland. Both of these
ships were in the western ocean buSl
ness.
In 1865 Capt. Scribner joined the shiI
Pactolus of New York, continuing il
her for nearly four years in the Cali
fornia trade, taking general cargoes
from New York to San Francisco
thence wheat for the United Kingdom
or continent, and return to New York
! During that time he also made one voy
age to Australia from New York, also
one voyage to Chincha islands for guanG
and return.
Capt. Scribner in 1869 sailed as CHIEF
| officer of the ship St. Charles to Sar
Francisco, returning to Liverpool with
wheat. The next year, 1870, he tool
command of this ship but was soo1
transferred to the new ship st. Lucie
which he commanded for five years
most of that time being engaged in thu
California trade.
Capt. Scribners next ship was the st
John, which in 1882 he gave up to tak'
command of the new 1900 ton ship st
Francis. He remained twelve year,
in this ship, part of the time in the
California trade, and part OF the tim'
carrying case oil to various ports il
Japan and tea from there to San Fran
cisco or Puget Sound ports. His las
ship, the Henry B. Hyde, 25OO tons, h'
took in 1896. His first voyage III this
ship was from San Francisco to Homo
lulu where he loaded with 1000 tons o.
sugar for New York, returning to Sal
Francisco with general cargo. His las
voyage has already been referred to.
For upwards of thirty-five years Capt
Scribner was in the employ cohtinu
ously of Chapman & Flint of New
York, his connection with that firm
embracing all his maritime career, ex
cepting. when he was in the two Bruins
wick-built ships.
hi $slv Ivy yy~s,