Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-13
AN OCEAN STEAMERS PERIL
Loaded With Cotton and Lard, and
In Flames
MASTERED BY JETS OF STEAM.
Panic-S,rickcn Passengers Driven
From Their state Rooms by tho
Fierce Heat-A Cool and
Worthy Captain.
Threatened Without Warning.
[Copmipht 1889 bu Jamcs Gorion Rennsit. l

TCopntDM 1889 bu James Gordon Bennstt1
LONDON, May 12.-TNew York Herald
Cable-Special to TuE BEE. E.l-Ou the ar
rival Of the Hamburg. American company's
mail steamship Rugia in Plymouth Sound,
this afternoon, from New York, en- route to
Cherbourg and Hamburg, Captain II. Kar-
Iowa reported that the ship had ma rrow
escape from being burned TO tho waters
edge. She left New York May ., with 1888
passengers for England, France and Ger
many, and largo general cargo for Ham
burg, consisting Principally of cotton aud
lard
All went well and the ship had made fine
passage until o'clock on the evening Of
May s, when, IN latitude Al deg 10 min north,
longitude 81 deg west, without any previous
warnug whatever, flames issued from the
ventilators of the afterhold. The officers
and crew were for a moment dumbfounded,
us no smell had been detected and there
was no previous indication of contlagra-
ton, which must have been smouldering
before the ship left New York. The passen.
gers became ranic-stricken for it appeared
certain that the crew could not master the
flames. sThe captain, however, ordered all
hands to the pumps, and the hatches wero
taken off, when instantly II body of flame
rose into the air, showing the extensive
character of the fire.
Realizing the danger of exposing the fire
to the air, Captain Karlowa shouted, Bat
ton down the hatches," and the men, ut great
risk, performed the task, many OF them being
seriously scorched.
1t was impossible to ascertain the seat Of
the fire. The captain, with a few expert;
erced men, went on the main deck and
opened the iron bulkhead door. A volume of
fire belched FORTH scorching the face and
hands of the captain and others; but they
rushed forward and fastened the doors again,
thus confining the conflagration to the after
hold. They ut once repaired to the upper
deck, and, holes having been cut in the
hatches the pumps were set to work and
immense quantities of water poured into the
burning hold.
1t was all to no purpose, and for half an
hour the fire seemed increasing IN fury and
the terrific heat could be felt through the
iron deck. The cabins of the main deck
were flooded, and the passengers had to fly
to the upper deck. In the course of time the
ship had nasty list to port, which, OF
course, increased the difficulty of extinguish
ing the flames.
Captain karlowa, anticipating the worst,
ordered all the boats provisoned and got
reduy iOr launCnluB. ABOUT an nOur and
half after the outbreak, port and starboard.
after life boats being provisioned, were low
cred. There was nasty beam sea running
at the time. Two or three sailors attempted
to JUMP into the life boat but Captain Kar.
Iowa drew revolver and threatened to blow
out the brains of the first who did SO with
out permission.
The fire seemed TO have gained complete
mastery, but the captain decided to try the
effect of steam on the 1ames at the sane
tiWe directing Chief Engineer j. Jangk to
put the engine at full speed ahead, with
view of making Plymouth, even if the fire
could not be subdued. The hose was at
tached, and, in place of water, steam was
pumped into the burning hold. For time
it seemed as if the fire was tercer than ever,
but in two hours the steam had an appreci-
able effect. When this was observed, a cheer
went up from the passengers, and the work
was continued An hour later the fire was
so subdued as to allow the matches to be re-
moved, finding bales of cotton still shoulder
ing.
The captain resolved to throw them over.
board, dangerous and difficult as this would
be, The process Of hauling the burning
bales out by means of graphing irons was
very slow, but, after further pumping ia Of
steam ana working of the hose. some of the
sailors descended into the hold and hooked
bales onto the steam winch. AS the bales
came into the open mir, it was seen that the
fire in them was subducd.
The fire was got under shortly after mid
night.