Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-12-13
THB MAINLAND BuRxsD.

The Trnin Passengers Escape Nut
lose mSat Of Their Effects-Some
of the pncidcnss--T The L0ss Put at
100000.
NEW York, Dec. 8 The rerry.boat Mary
land OF the Now York 4 New Haven rail-
road which conveys cars By wator 10 other
railroads was huraed TO the waters edge in
tho Harlem river after midnight together
with two Pullman cars. two ordinary
coaches and an "accommodation" cur.
There were "a passengers In the cars at the
time Of the dee, but they were rescued as
well as the boat and train hands without
mishap. by Il tug.hoat.
The fire started Just as tho men were
about to switch the cars of the boat en- the
track. A Seems of great excitement FOL.
lowed, cry of fire was at once raised by
the deck hands and the passengers rushed
out OF their berihs, some not fully Rttired
Some ran TO the front OF the boat and got
upon the wharf; Others ran to the rear deck
from which they were rescued by the boats.
An elderly lady had TO be dragged out OF
car by porter, The other women and sill
the male passengers got saiely IL without
injury, hut most Of them lost their effects.
Interviews this morning with IallroAd
men and others may be- briefly condemned
as follows: The fro broke out IN tas Kitchen
OF the boat which was on the upper or
saloon deck, and burning timbers, 6a., i'm
mediately began to jail upon tho roof OF
the cars below, settling them on fire, As Is
usual upon the arrival OF the Maryland the
rehr brakeman, who WAS TO accompany the
train to Hartford, when tho bont was made
tast TO tine DOCK, Went 10 the lust car TO
take off the "tail lamps" As he pasted
along he noticed nothing unusual, but
after he had secured the lamps ard tuued
TO 20 back no was confronted by a solid
wall OF lame. The heat Immediately forced
him TO tne rear of the boat, whore he WAS
soon hsurrhr ilded by passengers IRON the
Aeepers. In .Ilte Yl-ious stages OF deshablle
An1 rs he explafos 1t, III Ros psstty hot
petofp y tug esln4 around and took us off,
Az employs ih fhe baggage ca said that
thu htat !ntinlatian whicn he he'd OF the fire
vas When the root the car began to shower
down, sparks The train hands generously
coptubuted hats, coats, &c to cover the
niit- dressed passengers. Taeie were "a
passengers on board, Is Of whom were In
tho sleapers. Four were women. Colonel
A, Il. Conger of Akron, Ohio, a member OF
the national Republican committee, was
plssenger. One woman, Mrs. Jennings Of
new orleans, was fast asleep. She wAa
dragged from her berth by deck hand
VINO is unknown, and escaped in night.
dress and cloak.
The baggage car with all the baggage
and the coach sank with the boat. Ine
TWO slesping.cars we're run of upon The
uoek and burned up there. The flames did
not extend beyond the boat itself. The
passengers lost all but the clothes they had |
on Ut the time. Mrs. jennings IL IS years |
old but took the situation very coolly.
co.'s GoSesa's PRESCRIPTION OF TUE PANIC.
4 Colsnel Goager said that the scene was
indescrtnRble and tao panic terrible, Hs |
was nlthe eleeping esr and with difficulty |
mad6 his ese8pe. Che men prayed and |
syyor Y a Alternately and climbed over each |
ihYsr sPtailbling lie wild beasts In their
er9rts, 10 get out, One man had only his
shirt on and CARRIED HE clothes Ia hls hands. |
the roaring flames advaa ed so RAPIDLY
That they scorched the passengers as they
attempted 10 jump to tho transfer boat and
luS, Al y g. IN. a new train was made no
70 take the passengers on their WHY 10 Bos-
ION. The loss Is estimated az $4,000
wELL-KsowN IN wIIMIsar1y.
The burned steamer is well known IN
Wilmington, as sho was originally bpilt for
he p, W. &c 9. Railroad Company. as a
transfer boat to oonvsy cars between Perry.
Vile aud Hhvre do Grace, prior TO the con-
,truction OF the railroad bridRo across the
susquehanna. Sho was 22J feet long. 80
eet beam, and 10 feet depth OF hold. hnilr
Ike all ferry-b0ass with double ends, Her
lnil was OF iron and upper WORKS OF wond.
'ne was fitted with engines for esch paddle
wheel and steArn-steer!ng genr, and was
ialued at about $4,000. Shs was bui,t by
he Harlan \ Hollingswcrth Company In
his city Ia 1853.