National Republican., 1883-07-14
BURNED AND SCUTTLED.
The American Steamship Niagara Comes 10
Grief
Taking Fire al Sen, She Is scuttlcd on she
Florida Cosst-No Lives Lost.

HAVANA, July 13.-An English steamer has
just arrived outside this harbor with the in
telligenoe that the steamship Niagara, of the
New York and Cuba Mail Steamship COM
pany and which left New York on the seventh
instant for this port, has been destroyed by
fire off the coast of Florida. The passengers
were all saved and brought here by the above
mentioned English steamer. The consignes
here of the Niagara have sent tugboat TO
the steamer to take off the rescued passengers
and bring them to this city.
NEW YORK, July 13.--Shortly after noon
to-day James y. Ward & Co., owners of the
New York and Cuba mail steamship line, re-
ceived the following message from their
agents in Havana:
Niagara burned off the Florida coast. English
steamer outside with her passengers reports all
hands saved,
This was supplemented some hours later by
the following:
Purser stetsou is here with passengers and mails
He reports the Niagara scuttled at Indian Key,
Alligator reef. The captain expected to extingulsn
the fire aud proceed on his voyage in day or two
have sent tugs and pumps to his aid.
This was all the information that had been
obtained as to the disaster, and nothing is yet
known as to the cause of the accident
or the extent of the loss or damage
to the vessel. 1t is supposed, however, that
the fire was discovered on Wednesday or
Thursday and that the ship was run upon the
reef and scuttled in the shallow water. Alli-
gator reef is of the southern coast of Florida,
about 140 miles northeast of Havana, In
reaching the reef the vessel was not obliged
to go a great distance out of her course. The
vessel carried miscellaneous cargo, princi-
pally provisions, flour in barrels, grain of
various Sorts, hams, fish, &C., consigned to
various dealers in Havana. 1t will prove a
total loss, but to what sum is not known, nor
could the assurances be learned. Postmaster
cail hn haH M Of pfa al inf
nation us to the condition of the mails, and
didn't even know that they had been saved.
In addition to the New York mail there were
closed mails from Turks island and from
Philadelphia. The steamer also carried mails
for Ponce, St. Johns, and Mayaguez in addi-
tion to those for Havana.
HAVANA, July 13.--The following particu-
lars have been received regarding the burn
ing of the steamer Niagara. AT o'clock on
the morning of the twelfth instant the passen-
Bengers on the Niagara were reused because a
FIRE had been discovered in the second hold
forward. The steamer was then between
Foavey rocks and Carysfort reef, off the
southern coast of Florida. Strenuous efforts
were made to extinguish the fire, but they
proved of no avail. Smoke continued to pour
from the ventilators. At $50 a. m. q brigau-
tine hove in sight. The Niagara hoisted a
signal of distress and made for the vessel. Capt
Baker, of the Niagara, discovered steamer
toward the south. He then made for the
steamer, which proved to be the Commander,
Capt. Newton. bound from Liverpool to Vera
Cruz. At a. m. the Niagara's passengers and
mails were put aboard the Commander. Both
steamers remained together, and the Niagara
went ahead until about 4 p. M, when she
stopped to send the purser stewardess, and
safe aboard the Commander. Capt. Baker
then turned the Niagara toward the
Florida coast and ran her ashore in sixteen
feet of water, near the Alligator reef light
house, OIL Indian Key. The purser was in
structed to charter at Havana a number Of
steam tugs with pumps to assist in raising
the steamer. Whom raised she will proceed
to Havana. The Niagara had on board twenty
five passengers, one of whom was a lady
There was no panic when the fire was an
nounced. The passengers highly praise tn,
behavior of Capt. Baker and the crew of tn,
Niagara and the kindness of Capt. Newton, o
the Commander
The fire is supposed to have been caused b,
the ignition of petrolina, creosine, or SOM
other acid stored near the engine room
Some of the passengers had noticed a smell o
smoke at 2 o'clock in the morning, bu
thought it came from material burning oil
shore