Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1886-07-29
A BURNING VESSEL.
The Terrible Predicament of the Passen-
gers and Crew Of the Labrador.

The Terrible Predicament OF the Passen-
gers and Crew OF the Labrador.
New YORK, July y2s.-When the French
steamer Labrador, from Havre, came to
anchor at Quarantine at 3:15 a. m. to-day
an officer rushed excitedly to the bridge
and notified the captain that the steamer
was mass of flames below On consulta-
ton with Pilot Watson it was deemed best
to run the ship ashore, which was done on
the Long Island Shore, below Bay Ridge.
No cause was given for the fire. Assist
ance was promptly at hand and the passen-
gers were transferred to passing steam
boat. Tugs also went alongside and poured
several streams of water down into the
hold. At 7:30 a. m. the fire was got under
control and soon extinguished. The steam
er will have to discharge her cargo before
getting of, as she lies well up, having been
run ashore on the falling tide at about 6
a. m. The passengers left for the city at
at about o'clock on the steamboat VIII
liam Fletcher.
ANOTHER ACCOUNT OF THE FIRE,
The fire in the steamship Labrador broke
out abreast the engine ROOM The vessel
had on board twenty-nine cabin passengers
and one hundred and thirty steerage pass
engers. She anchored off quarantine and
blew her whistle vigorously. The health
officers boat went out to her and found all
the passengers on deck, dressed and quiet.
When they saw the health officers boat
coming toward them they wildly clapped
their hands and cheered. All of the Lab
rador's boats were launched, and the port
and starboard gangway side ladders were
over the sides, with three boats aft aud
two boats forward, ready to take off the
passengers if the flames reached the deck.
Dense volumes Of smoke came up from be-
tween decks over the two tunnels.
The Merritt Coast Wrecking Company's
steamer Rescue went TO her aid. AT g
a. IN. the anchors were weighed, and ac-
companied by the Rescue, the Labrador
again got under way and made directly for
Bay Ridge, where she was beached with
the smoke still pouring in clouds from her,
but after two hours hard work the flames
were eXtinguished. The officers seem to
be unable to explain the cause of the fire.
The cargo is general one, and it now ap-
D. ars that the fire had been burning some
ttime before discovered. The passengers
were all taken off in safety and uninjured.
The passengers were all landed at New
York shortly before 10 o'clock this morning.
All baggage and mail was saved. Mr.. De-
Bebian, the agent of the company, said to
q reporter: There were 10 tirst-class, 10
second, and 165 steerage passengers on
board The officers of the vessel are still on
board As far as have been able to learn,
no one from the ship having arrived at this
Office yet the fire broke out at 4 o'clock i'll
the morning, and was not in the Labrador's
hold, but in the linen room, so that the
cargo is all right if that is the case. 1t is
supposed to have originated by spark
from the smoke stack blowing into an air
yentilating shaft in the linen room.
A PANIC IN THE sTEERAGE.
Allen Thompson, one of the passengers,
was the first to discover the fire on the
Labrador. He quickly informed Captain
Hauterive of the fact, and the officers of
the ship at once informed the sleeping pas
sengerS. They were told to dress quickly
and come on deck. They were informed
that there was no actual danger, but it
was best to he prepared to leave the shipit
necessary, and that they should be fully pre-
pared. The twenty cabin passengers took
the information quietly and i'll few mo-
ments appeared on deck. In the steerage,
however, where l35 Germans, Bohemians
and Italians were slowed away, the scene
was different A panic took place, but
finally they were quieted and brought on
deck. Meanwhile the captain had ordered
the fire signal to be displayed and had set
all the engines on board at work pouring
water on the flames, which originated in
and were confined to the linen room and the
room adjoining,
The smoke became more dense every
minute, and even the most courageous OF
the passengers became frightened, as the
flames seemed to he gaining headway.
Everybody, including officers, crew, cabin
and. .steerage passengers, lent assistance in
working the hand pumps and in passing
buckets. The steerage and caGin were rap
idly flooded.
All the baggage that could be got out in
the stateroomS and the hold of the vessel
was piled on the deck ready for removal as
soon as assistance should come.
1t was nearly three hours after the first
signal of distress was displayed that an an
swer was received,
The following is list of the cabin pas
sengers!
Mrs. Langerm and two children, Gustav
LeGrot, Mr.. and Mrs. Menzel, j. II. Sto-
Der and Miss Stober, of Montana; Mrs. j.
r. Shaw and child; Mrs. Judge Sanderson,
of San Francisco, and four daughters; Mrs.
Elise Suzanne, Allen Thompson, of New
York; Mrs. Jehl and Mrs. Geissmann, Mr..
Hermean, and number of sisters belong
ing TO the Catholic order of the House of
the Good Shepherd.