New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-07
STEAMER AFIRE AT SEA
Cargo of the Vandalia Damaged to
Ertent of $3.50, 900.

With smoke escaping from her forward hold. the
aftermath of big fire which found Its way to her
cargo or hrecTackeTS. in mid-Atlantc, on FEBRUARY
g. the Hamburg American freighter Vandalia. from
Hiogo. arrived here yesterday and doeked at
Bush's Stores. South Brooklyn. The Vandalia, in
addition to her general cargo, took on 1900 pack
ages OF frecrackers and $50 cases OF camphor at
Hong Kong She had fairly good weather through
the Indian Ocean. got on safely through the Medi-
terranean with her cargo intact, and passed
Gibraltar February 16. Six days later she ran into
4 dirty patch Of weather and pitched heavily in
strong northwesterIy gale II is thought that the
shifting OF cargo had something to do with the fire
that broke out forward on February IS
About p. m the lookout reported to the CHIEF
officer, who was on the bridge. that he smelled
smoke. and thought It from the port venti-
lator Captain Franck ordered dozen men for
ward to investigate The men had hardly gone
below when smoke poured out in great volume from
the forward hatch. Several seamen opened the
match cover and were nearly overcome by the
fumes from the hold.
The Vandalia is equipped with complete fire
fighting apparatus and all except those who were
actually engaged in navigating dOnned rubber
coats and helmets and fought the fire. Five lines
of hose put into the hatch but had little effect
on the blaze as heavy gale from the northwest
famed the lanes
Captain Franck put che steamer about and ran
before the wind The hatch closed at mid
night and all available steam turned into the
hold. The crew worked ali night, and at daybreak.
when the fire had gained Roadway, extra pumps
were started and the entire foreward hold was
hooded Gradually the Nandalia's bow sank al.
most TO the deck. The weight OF twenty feet Of
water in the bow carried her stern clear OF the
water line and her propeller. useless. churned the
air
The wind suddenly shifted to the southeast and
drove up a terrific The Nandalia, with prOpel-
Ter above water, unable to hold her against
the gale. drifted before 1t throughout the day OF
February %, When effort was made to pump
the water from the hold forward the pumps be-
came clogEed and could be used.
or a while the situation was exceedingly serious
and all oil board thought the Vandalia would have
TO drift with the wind until some steamer could
take her in tow. Captain Eranck. at his wits end,
suddenly decided TO take chance and open up the
alright bulkheads on either side of and below the
The anchor chains were hauled from their lock-
eTs in the fOrepeak and a hole was knocked into
the skin of the bulkhead. With a roar the water
rushed into the bUlkheads The Vandala's pro-
peuer slowly sank below the surface, and Captain
Franck again able control his steamer.
With the bilge pumps which in good order,
all the water removed from the bulkheaG COM
partments within forty-eght hours The ire.
which the thought had been eXtiuguished.
broke out again March T. This time the matches
were battened and the fire fought with steam.
hatch yesterday as the Nardalia came up the Bay
from Quarantine. The damage TO ship and cargo
| is said TO be about S2Jo,00