New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-31
A STEAMERS HOLD ON FIRE.
THE MEXICO HAS TO BE SUNK In THE
NORTH RIVER.
THIRTEEN MEN OVERCOME BY THE SMOKE
THE FIREMEN's BRAVE FIGHT-ToBAcco.
HEMP AND BAMBOO MADE
UP HER CARGO.

UP HER CARGO.
Early last night the boatswan Of the steamship
Mexico belonging to the Spanish line Compasnie
General Transatlantica dc Cuba, and consigned to
Agent Ceballos, Of No. 81 wall-st, from Havana
under the command Of Captain Miguel Carmona, dis
covered that the cargo Of hemp and tobacco, In the
middle compartment Of the lower hold, was on fire
He sounded a warning with his whistle and called
all hands deck but did not send out an alarm
Custom Officers W. j. Barrett and c. IT, Martin heard
the WHISTLE and finding the ship fire carried the
alarm to the Second Precinct Station house Police
Officer James L. Henry also discovered the fire, and
sent out an alarm at Vesey and West SITS.
Engine Company No 90, Hook and Ladder Com
pany No 10 and the ireboat Zophar Mills responded
and quickly had several lines of pipe down the main
hatchway. Dense columns of foul eenish smoke
were pouring up the hatch and filing the cabins and
engine room, but the frcmen at once descended by
ladders and directed three streams OF water at the
place where they supposed the fire raging, but
owing the hundreds OF bales the thick smoke, ana
the cramped quarters, little time was wasted
In finding the exact situation OF the names, winch
could not be
Only a few minutes had passed when Firemen
Adam Blair, James Shields and Michael Crowley were
carried deck in semi-conscious condition Crow
ley recovered and again descended and stuck to his
work until he dropped again. rope
had TO be lowered to help him on deck and an am
buance sent for, but he refused TO so to the hos
pltl and helped home. During the first two
hours nine fremen and one of the crew besides
those mentioned were either carried helped on
deck, where tley were dosed with brandy and rum.
Their Dickson Mcqueen. brought up
insensble William j. Cook, Jacob Becker, Assistant
Foreman John Barber John O'Conncl and Captain
Spence Of the Zophar Mills, They were helped on
deck and went aboard their boat
Lieutenant Banta OF Hook and Ladder No. TO- was
hauled out of the hold more dead than alive, and
after vain efforts to revive him he taken 10 the
Chambers Street Hospital in an ambulance. Joseph
Hines and Daniel MCFARLAND, of Engine Company
No. 90 being also overcome, stopped work
Spaniard belonging to tho laid out on deck
forward of the caboose. The crew Is entirely COM
posed Of spanlards. who were much excited, and in
sisted on descending to the lower hold and getting
in the way of the iTcmen
When Chief Shay arrived he ordered them all on
deck, and they were somewhat roughly handled In
being elected.
declared that there must he some OF the drag In
the cargo Chief Shay, at late hour, refused TO
send more men into the black, smokcnllcd hoh.
only 10 have them hauled out nsensble and ordered
of water, and four three-and, a-halt inch
streams were turned on full force
BY midnight the Mexico had sunk over four feet
and the rush Of the water. and the Slowly ascending
columns Of smoke surrounding the dark halfdrnssed
forms Of the crew, made Sombre picture Of lire at
sea ard IFS possible horrors.
The Mexico arrived Saturday morning from
Havana and put up al Pier No II. at the foot of
Dey-s. where she at once began 10 unload her cargo
of bamboo. hemp and tobacco. The tobacco was
partly on the wharf owing 10 lie impossibillty
of getting at the cargo computing the value of that
part on the wharf II difficult TO learn the loss.