A SHIP AFIRE.

A SHIP AFIRE.

The lumber steamer St. Augustine on her regular trip between New York and Jacksonville, Fla., caught fire on October 21, about 20 miles off Cape Hatteras, S. C. She was apparently all right till nearly midnight of the day in question when the men at work in the fire room discovered a dense smoke proceeding from the coal bunkers, fire room, and engine room. Upon investigation it was found that the cargo in the main hold was on fire. This consisted of cases of merchandise, which were stowed nearly to the vessel’s deck, making it impossible to get at the fire. To remove the hatches meant the quicker destruction of the ship, and the hand fire extinguishers, hose and steam from the boilers were turned into the hold through the coal bunkers and the engine room, and the fight to save the ship began. For three-quarters of an hour the flames were held at bay; but suddenly the steam in the boilers gave out, and the fire began to make rapid headway.

Seeing that it was impossible to save the steamer, steps were taken to abandon her. There were about 200 barrels of oil stowed back of where the fire originated, and, as the flames were gradually working in that direction, preparations to leave the ship were speedily made. The port and starboard lifeboats were got ready, and the crew, after assisting the captain’s wife into a place in the stern of one of the boats, left the burning ship and dropped astern, where they caught the log line, and by this meats remained in a position about eighty fathoms from the burning steamer.