Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-10-09
FIRE IN MID-0GBAN
Thrilling Experience on Board
 q British Steamer.
A LONG BATTLE WITH FLAMES.
The Sailors Conquered After Seven Days
 Hard Work.

The Coal Supply of g Steamer Discovered
 on Fire by Terrible Explosion-Several
 Men Knocked Senseless-The Sailors La
 bored Like Heroes Until tho Ftre was
 Extinguished.
 NEW YORK, Oct. 9.-A terrible seven day fight with flames at sea was the thrilling experience of the crew of the British steamer Unionist, which ar rived in port yesterday.
 Tho vessel left Liverpool on Septem- Der 21, and until September 2s nothing occurred to cause any uneasiness to Captain Neate or his men. The Union ist is not a racer, and was expected to mako the trip in from twelve to ixteen days.
 On the morning of September 2s the steamer was very near mid-ocean. A strong swell was coming from the northeast. accompanied by a stiff breeze. Suddenly terrific explosion Sailors were tumbled out of their hunks and with tho thoroughly frightened officers rushed on deck. Through the hatches over the coal bunkers came a vast cloud of smoke, which poured up from below and indicated the location of the explosion.
 It was some time before the sailors could get below, where they expected to find the stokers and tiremen either mangled or suffocated by the smoke.
 Several were found lying senseless having been knocked down by the force of the explosion. None of them was se- riously injured and all soon revived when they had been brought into the open air on deck, feat which was ac- complished only with the greatest difl- culty and at the peril of the rescuer's lives.
 Captain Neate speaks in the highest praise of tho seamen under him, who worked like beavers and bravely imper- filed their lives in the effort to save the lives of the unfortunate stokers and fire men below.
 But they were soon compelled to fight for their own lives and with sailors most terrible enemy. fire. The smoke continued to pour up in black mass through the hatches, and sailors wrap ped in wet blankets went below to in vestigate. They slowly fought their way through and brought back the startling information that all the steam CTS coal supply was on fire.
 When the explosion occurred the steamer was running at full speed. Her engines were slowed down and all hands were set at work to eXtinguish tho fire.
 Tho coal banks were flooded, but with no appreciable results. All day and night tho mon worked, but the fire seemed to burn as fercely as ever. Then the mon, utterly exhausted, were divided into gangs, some working while the others caught a few hours rest and then being relieved for short rest themselves. The engines were again working at full speed in order that if the worst came the vessel might be as near shore as possible.
 On September 29 one of the flremen, Jack Horne, was overcome while work ing and fell into the hold. He was in great danger of suffocation and Peter Fin ness and other firemen went to his as sistance. Both were overcome by the gases from the burning coal, and when they were finally extricated from their perilous position were unconscious. They revived, however.
 In the meantime the battle with the flames wont on, but although the sailors worked hard and flooded the lower part of the steamer the flames held their own.
 For seven days the fight went on, the fire being extinguished in ono place only to break out in another Finally on last Friday morning water con quered and the fire was put out.