Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1903-01-29
TERRoRs OF FIRES AT SEA.
One of the Greatest Dangers to which
4 Ocean Travellers Are
v Exposed. 4

i Coming up the coast some year
ago frond one Of the south Atlanta
ports, the writer one stormy nigh
sat In the sldpper's cabin swapping
yarns with that worthy and one O.
the artist fraternity with whose sig
nature to many a well-drawn sketch
in the illustrated papers and maya
zines the public Is quite familiar, sayi
the New York Tribune.
The knights Of the pen and pencil
had, a. Is their modest way. been
doing most Of the EARNING. but the
ship after q bit sighted Hatteras.
that chronic disturber Of old Nep-
tunes repose. and. the weather be-
coming more boisterous, they began
to lose their enthusiasm for their own
tales of land adventure and to expert
ence sudden and powerful interest
in those that bear upon the perils Of
the deep.
This gave the skipper his inning,
and in response to the artists query:
captain, what was the highest
scrape you were ever in?" he spun
this yarn. It's bound to lose in the
telling, as the writer cannot hope to
reproduce the sailors simple yet di-
rect and forceful style OF narrative.
Early one morning, when on his
way north and when his ship was
still some "a hours distant from New
York, toward which she was fight
ing her way in the teeth of north
easter, he was awakened with the
alarming intelligence that the cot
tonJwas afire in the hold. Now, there
are two things about cotton-no man
can tell how it takes fire under such
circumstances nor how to put it out.
So the captain, after cautioning his
officers and crew not to alarm the
passengers, battened down matches,
closed every crack that might let air
into the hold, turned steam into it
and then started his engines at full
headway"-the ship had been slowed
down to nine knots on account of
the heavy seas-hoping to keep the
fire under control until he could make
New York and could get aid from the
harbor FIRE service.
All that weary day and night he
suffered, he said. the agonies of the
not knowing when the fame
might burst forth and destroy his
ship and being all the time COM
PEELED to sustain cheerful mien be-
lore the passengers, with whom it was
mis- custom to mix much, and among
whom he was prime favorite.
After awhile, he said, the passen-
gers began to notice that the decks
we're exceedingly hot Under foot and
heir berths extremely uncomfort-
lble, while social hall" and the smok-
ng room, in spite of open doors, were
cry little better.
II put it off on the gulf stream"
lie grimly told his auditors. II said
reckoned they must be having an
hot spell down in the gulf,
nd that the mighty stream was
etching it along and New York would
DON get her turn" !
Well, through storm and stress the
God ship fought her way up the
cast, and, after many hours of Ito
he captain) Undesirable torture, the
gifts on the Jersey coast, telling that
he ship was drawing near New York
nd safety, eventually relieved his
Ears. But, alas, his hopes were soon
ashed, for when he arrived little
efore sunrise he found the whole
arbor enveloped in a dense fog,
hich made navigation next to impos-
BILE. For a moment he was daunt-
|, fearing he could not find his way
rough the tortuous channels Of this
,rt at sufficient speed to bring him :
reach Of succor before the long-re- t;
rained flames should break forth :
devastating fury, and that he
ould, after all Of his heroic exhibit !
On Of courage and fortitude, be COM :
lied to lose ship and passengers. i
In moment, though, he rallied, /
I'd, as he expressed it in his simple n
ny, II wasn't a-going to let my pas A
myers be burned up without last "
"" So, standing by the compass, e
itch in hand, he, a first-class pilot, I
d knowing thoroughly his ship and {.
r gait, dashed ahead at full speed a
d actually picked up" buoy after G
oy until he reached quarantine. G
When the quarantine officer came s.
GARD the captain quietly explained O
him the state of affairs, got him 81
hasten his examination and then "
ashore and telegraph his owners Il
d the fire department. Racing et
snce to his pier, he hustled his Il
ssengers ashore-to their surprise, fl
'st abruptly and unceremoniously b
md then pulled his ship out into in
, stream, where the fire tugs i'm p'
diately lay alongHide and took her Il
charge. st
1e ended the graphically told story "
his terrible adventure and his vivid tee
'cription of the fearful mental 10
ain he had borne for twenty-odd u
1rs thus; sBoys, l have been afioat q
ihout food or water for days, with We
hing between me and David Jones ~
. a flimny raft and with sharks all ~