The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-11-23
CONNECTICUT.
A SOUND STEAMER BURNED
SEVERAL LIVES LOST.

NORWICH Nov. 22.-The steamer City of New
London, Captain Brown of the Norwich and
New York line, took fire this morning, on the
river Thames, about five miles below the city,
at half-past four O clock. The flames were first
discovered issuing from one of the ventilators
The captain was on deck who ordered the boat
anchored, and Immediately set to work to ex-
tinguish the flames, and after a short time the
efforts were apparently successful, and rigid
examination discovered no traces of fire. The
anchor was then weighed and the boat pro-
ceeded up the river. When about three miles
below the city, abreast the mouth of Poquetan-
mock Cove, fire was discovered in the cotton on
deck. The donkey pumps were started, and
the captain and engineer, aided by the crew, in
less than one minute had three streams on the
fire.
Despite all exertions the fire spread with
great rapidity, and soon enveloped all the for
ward part of the boat. The captain seeing the
efforts to extingush the fire useless, ordered
the boat beached, but the engineer could not
start the engine. The donkey pumps were,
however, still kept at work until the engineer
notified the captain that he feared an explosion
of the boilers in which event all would be lost
The spread of the flames had in the mean
time cut off all communication with the boats
and rendered the life preservers inaccessible
The passengers and crew then threw themselves
into the water, clinging to such portions of the
cargo and boat as had fallen overheard. Those
who were able to swim had not much difficulty
in reaching the shore, except the chilling tenn
perature of the water. Some were picked up
by boats from the floating pieces of the cargo in
an exhausted condition and taken to farm
houses in the vicinity, where they were cared
for and resuscitated One of our reporters, just
from the wreck, reports her lying about so to IS
feet from the river bank, with her bow down
stream, and still burning fercely, with no hope
of saving any thing of consequence.
Everything above the deck is already con-
sumed. A train with fire engine was taken
down from the city, but too late to be OF any
III a..
to the leeward about a quarter OF a mile below
Walden Island, when abandoned by the crew,
and lies fast aground just below Poquetannock
Cove Trains are hourly running down, and
vigilant search is being made for the missing
men,
The City of New London was a first-class
boat, and had large cargo on board.
Those known to be lost are G. b. Rogers, VIM.
T. Norton and Harrison Aldrich, passengers;
Mat Baker, engineer, and Harry Duggan, stew
ard.
LATER-TwELvE LIVES LOST.
The loss of life by the disaster to the City of
New London is greater than was anticipated.
The passengers were only seven in number, but
of these VIM. I. Norton, of the firm of Norton
Bros, G. b. Rogers, of the firm of G. b. Rogers
& Co., and III. r. Aldrich, all of this city, were
lost. of the officers and deck hands known to
be lost are VIM. P. Ely, of Hamburg, CT, I'd
mate; M. w. Baker, of Norwich, engineer;--
Henry Duggan, of New London, steward; Web
ster Cooper, of New York, I'd cook; Frank
Flowers residence unknown, WAITER Warren
Mitchell, oiler; o. B. Driscol, Sullivan; Patrick
Mahoney and Thomas Rolleike, deck hands.
The New London carried heavy freight of a
miscellaneous character, principally cotton
rags groceries, leather, hides, etc, which, to-
| gether with the boat, are total loss.
The fire extinguishing apparatus and life
saving appliances were perfect, but the rapid
| spread Of the flames cut off the approach to the
boat and saloon where the life preservers were,
and the passengers and crew had to save them
selves by grasping such floating matter as fell
overheard from the burning boat.
| The officers of the boat, particularly the cap
tain and engineer, receive great praise for their
GOODNESS and bravery in so trying a position
The former escaped by lowering himself from
the paddle box by heaving line when all the
avenues of escape were closed by flames and
| clinging to the paddles till rescued in an ex-
hausted condition. The latter lost his life after
| giving away his life preserver which he got
| from his room on the upper deck, at the last
moment to the only passenger who by its aid
| was saved.
The origin of the fire is matter of uncer-
| tainty. ..r..