The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-05-16

The bark Martha Davis, one of the
trade, was burned to the waters edge
In Hilo Bay, Hawaii, on Saturday
might, and is total loss. The news
only reached Honolulu yesterday morn
ing by wireless telegraphy, and was
conveyed to Brewer & Co, agents for
the vessel, in the following message:
"HILO, May Il.
s1Brewer, Honolulu:
"Martha totally destroyed by fire
Saturday night. All plantation freight
lost. Hilo freight nearly discharged.
Origin unknown
Another message to Wilder's Steam
ship Company was as follows:
"HILO, May Is.
martha Davis burned completely
up in Hilo Bay. All plantation cargo
lost.
The bark arrived at Hilo from San
Francisco on May 9, with a heavy
cargo for plantations and some for
Hilo. The message to Brewer indicates
that only the freight for Hilo was
cIassed as saved. it having been nearly
all discharged, while the plantation
freight was consumed with the vessel.
The Martha Davis's cargo was as fol-
lows:
Flour. 513 bbls; 1886 ctls barley, 90
O66 lbs. middIings, 76 ctls. wheat, 1900
lbs. beans, 1917 lbs. bran, 962 bales
hay, i'll ctls. corn, 354 es. canned
goods, 1851 lbs. bread, 1880 lbs. lard, 80
pkgs. groceries and provisions, 745 lbs
butter. 8 cs. cheese, 1885, 800 lbs. rice,
1914 lbs. hams and bacon, 205 pkgs. po-
Z tatoes. 10 cs. fresh fruits, % bbls. and
/ Is hf. bbls. salmon, "a boxes paste, 5000
lbs. Goldfish, 7404 gals. wine, cs MIN
eral water, cs. liquors, 10 coils rope,
IL pkes. agricultural implements IL
es. dry goods, 100000 lbs. fertilizer, 4
bxs. soap, 35 pkgs. paper. cs. fuse,
es. caps. 40 cs and 25 kegs powder, ~
pkes. plumbing material, IA cs- paints
and oils, Is pkgs. wagon material, zo2o
lbs. tobacco, 500 cs. coal oil, % es. gas
oline. 80 boxes candies, 1900 bbls. lime,
52,117 #. lumber.
The bark Martha Davis was built IN
1873 at East Boston for Brewer & Co.,
and was placed in the Boston-Hono-
IuIu trade. She was therefore thirty
two wears of age when destroyed. She
was a wooden vessel of 81 tons, anu
more recently has been one, OF the
Planters Line of vessels plying De-
tween the coast and the Islands, ana
was accredited to the ownership Oh
Welch & Co. She was 1888 feet long,
337 feet beam and 21.9 feet depth OF
hold. Captain McCloon was IN COM
mand of the vessel.
For eight years, from 1889 TO 1885,
the Martha Davis was commanded oy
Can't. SkuIe of this city, now dry
GOODS merchant. AS mate and captain,
Capt. Soule was with the Martina DAVIS
for sixteen years. He was hrst IN
command of the vessel when she ran
ont of New York to Honolulu. ne
made his first trip as captain on TINS
route. 1t was generally her habit also
to go to China, the Philippines anu
!, home via Cape of Good Hope. Captain
Soule quit the Martha Davis afteF an
accident to the vessel in San Francisco
harbor. During norther the vessei
DRAGGED QeI dHCHOio oAa~ 49,
the u. s. Survey steamer Patterson
doing some slight damage.
The vessel cost $4,000 to build She
was a fast sailer in light weather, but
generally she was heavily loaded with
sugar on the run from the Islands to
San Francisco and did not make the
best kind Of speed under such elrcum-
stances.
One of the evening papers said yes
terday that Capt. Altman was in COM
nand of the Inflated bark. He has
not been her commander for some time.
cant Macloon is her master.
Another evening paper referred 10
pouder aboard the Martha Davis. Pow
der is not carried in the hold at all,
but in a separate place and is landed
the first thing on arrival. Had powder
been aboard it would have been ignit-
ed and blown the ship up The yes
sci had a good deal Of lime and nay
aboard and the fire was probably due
to spontaneous combustion.