, 1884-11-01
BURNED AT SEA.
The Steamer Maasdam Goes
Down in Mid Ocean.
Narrow Escape Made by Pas
sengers and Crew.
sengers and Crew.
They are Rescued in the Very
Nick of Time.
The Burned Steamer.

NEW NoRA, October 3 .-The German
steamer Rhein, which arrived here to
day from Bremen. reports that October
p, at : O'Clock in the evening, in latitude
49'. 80, longitude 2To, AZ, she fell in
with the Dutch tsamer Massdam, from
Rotterdam for New York, which was all
ablaze. The Rhein took from her boats
her passengers and crew, numbering lsG
in all, and brought them to this port.
The Massdm carried Il miscellaneous
cargo consigned to New York, The yes
sci was valued at 500, 900 The boats Of
the steamship were picked up one BY one
as the Rhein approached.
Captain Vauderzee, of $. 5. Massdam,
makes the following statement: ''Wc left
Rotterdam October is with eight cabin
and 1873 steerage passengers and a crew of
iOrty-five men. All went well until the
23d, when we encountered a violent gale,
during which the petroleum tank com
meneed leaking. Next day at > p. m,
of the crew in looking for a leak.
placed a lighted lamp near the tank,
which exploded with 4 loud report, the
contents taking fire and putting the ship
into a blaze. Every effort to control the
hire was useless, SO ut 1 p. M. | ordered
all hands into the boats. AT 9 D.. m. we
were picked up by the steamer Rhein.
No n was lost or injured in the slightest
degree
The steamship Rhein arrived ut her
dock soon after 3, with all the passengers
ana crew of the steamer Massdam. Hun
dreds of relatives and friends of the lost
ship awaited them. Captain II. c. Vau-
derzee, of the Inflated vessel. said to a re
porter: I'VE had eight cabin and 1873
steerage passengers and a crew of forty
five men. For several days prior to
October "a. complaints had been made to
me that the oil tank. situated under the
bridge on the upper deck, was leaking.
That day one of my seamen went with Il
light into the oil loom to make an exami-
nmion. A moment afterward an explo-
sion was heard. and the sailor with a
burned face and beard rushed back on
deck, crying fire, fire. We put into
use all our appliances for putting out the
flames, bat they gained headway. Then
we took to the boats. We could save
nothing of the cargo of private property.
Only the very clothes we stood in could
we take away with lis. There was a
heavy sea running at the time The pas
sengers created little or no confusion. l
think they were too much frightened,
and justly 50, to do anything but obey
orders The Rhein picked us up soon
after Q o'clock.
There were thirty-fve persons in each
boat. said DIR. Smith. We remained
near the burning ship hoping some vessel
would sec the light and come 10 IL rescue.
The flames burst from the ship aft. The
first masts fell at , O clock. The c~onfag-
ration was a grand sight, not appreciated
at the time. couldn't save even my in
struments, There was something ludis-
rous ever in our dilemma. We had a
pair of lovers in our boat and the man
could not be induced. nor would the girl
permit him to take his arm from her
waist to stand his turn ut the oar.
Heinrich Wolff, a passenger, said:
The officers and crew did all they
could to save the vessel and us. The
o ao,ll a.. l.