The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1888-12-15
BURNED In MID-RIVE.
r7smes Break Out While the Coaches
Are on a Ferry Boat-Narrow Escape
of Many Passengors-A Loss of over
& t0D 600.

NEW YORK, Dec. S.-The steamboat
MARYLAND, the transfer boat of the New
Work. New Haven & Hartford Railroad
caught fire at 11:I0 o'clock last night,
Installer she had made fast to her slip
II the railroad wharf at Port Morris.
OH board Of the boat was the Wash
in-tou express train, made up Of
two sleepersI q passenger coach and a
baggage car. In the two sleepers were
twentY-fOur passengers. After the
MARYLAND had made fast the train hands
began to make preparations for the
transfer of the cals to the yard, when
the crv rang out from one OF the Sleep
ers that the boat was on fire.
The flames broke ont in the kitchen of
the boat which was on the upper or
saloon deck, and burning timbers, etc.
Immediately began TO fail upon the roof
Of the ears below, setting them on fire.
As usual upon the arrival of the Mary
land, the rear brakeman who was 10 aa-
company the train to Hartford, when
the boat was made fast to the dock, went
20 the last car TO take Oft the
tail lamps" As he passed along he
noticed nothing unusual; but after he
Lad secured the lamps ami turned to
90 back he was confronted by a solid
wall Of flame. The heat Immediately
.src5d him TO the rear of the boat,
where he was soon surrounded bv pas
saugers from the sleepers IN various
stages Of dishabIlle. An emplOye in the
baggage car said that the first intima-
ion which he had Of the fire was when
the roof Of the car began TO shower
.t.. I'll
agsly contributed hats, coats. etc, TO
cover the halt-dressed passengers.
There were twenty-four passengers on
board, eighteen of whom were in the
-.eepers. Four were women; Col. 4. L.
Cunger, Of Akron, O., a member of the
national Republican committee, was a
passenger. One woman, Mrs. Jennings,
i New Orleans was dragged from her
berth by deck hand and escaped In a
night dress and cloak. The baggage car
with all the baggage and the coach sank
with the boat. The two sleeping cars
were run of on the deck and burned
mp there The flames did not extend
beyond the boat itself The passengers
lost al. but the clothes thew had on at
rHe time.
Col. Conger said that the scene was
udescribable and the panic terrible.
lte was IN the sleeping car, and with
difficulty made his escape. The men
prayed and swore alternately and
climbed over each other, scrambling
Ike Wild beasts in their efforts TO get
ont. One man had only his shirt on
and carried his clothes in his hands.
Col. Conger lost all but the clothes he
wore The roaring flames advanced so
rapidly that they scOrCheL the passeu-
gers as they jumped to the transfer
hoatand tug. At 3 A. NJ. a new train
was made up to take the passengers on
their way TO Boston. The loss is esti-
mated at 100000.
The Adams Express Company had
-.Xty-tOOt baggage car on the steamer
.oaded with the through matter from
Washington. This is a total loss. but
owing TO the fact that meagre particu-
grs had been received NJ the Boston
..Ice, the officials there could not esti-
nate the amount. There was no time
10 save anything, and the safes went
own into the hold of the steamer with
other Wreckage