Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-06-15

Two Thousand fiaies Of Cotton Ia tue
"rity of Richmond"

QUEENSTOWN, June 1.-The steam
er ss3ervia." which left New hoIk
June 9Th, arrived to-day. The captain
T.uorta that on midnight Thursday
lat he sighted the lnman line steam'
or getty Of Richmond" from new
YORK June 3 ri bound for this port anu
Liverpool.
The "RIchmond" was dying slg'
nal OF distress and the "servia' bore
down 10 her and offered assistance
CAPTAIN Bedford Of the "City OF kch'
mond" reported that his cargo was on
fru and the "5eryia" stood 10y ana
steamed slowly by the side o. the
"City Of Rlchmond" until Brow heau
was sighted. Captain Redford rcpOr'
ted that on Tuesday nj midnight =
lady cabin passenger upon getting out
Of her berth noticed that the floor OF
tho statproom was very hot. She i'm.
medlatoly gave the alarm and an ex.
animation vas quickly made. This re-
quilted In the discovery Of smoke Issuing
from the forohold, and the smell In.
dicAted that the cotton In the hold Of
which the vessel carried .OJO bales
was on IRE.
In less than three minutes all The
passengers, including those in the
steefpqe, were on deck. Most 0f them
hurriedly LEFT their befths and rushed
on deck scsntily atlifed. Largo vol
umcs Of water were poured down upon
the burning cotton, hut with small ei-
feet. aud until tho steam nfe annihi'
latorp were used no diminuton OF the
fire was visible.
while the captain and engineers
were trying b gut the ifp under con.
troll, another scene presented Itself on
deck under the eyes ofthe anNlous hut
wellbehaved crowd Of passongurs. Her
provisions OF all sorts were being car
Red by the stewards to the ships boats
In Wow Of the possible necessity Of
abandoning the vessel. Throughout
the period Of alarm gale was blowing
and the ship rolled heavily. During
the dark houn Of suspense the passcn'
gers were perfectly calm, most Of them
making preparations 10 leave the
ship. Until daylight, "Wednesday, the
extent Of the fire was not known 10
dense was the smoke envulnping the
decks, the sea, too became 40 heavy
that II would have been almost I'm.
possible for the passenger 10 have put
OIL ia the boats, u such n course had
beon deemed necessary.
Soon after daylight the captain was
able 10 assure the people that there was
no immediate danger, but although tho
fife has been checked II remained
smouldeflng ia the mass OF cotton and
might bgeak Into flames at any mo.
msnl. II WAS impossible 20 discover
the extent u the flEc owing " tue fact
that every aperture In the vicinity Of
the hold had 10 be closed Ia order 10
prevent the iiames being famed by the
gale.
Tho stewards continued preparations
10 abandon the ship and had 700
pounds Of beef cooked aud placed Ia
The bOatA. Hopes Of relief came In the
morning, whom thu vessel "Council'
or" was sighted. After an interchange
Of signals she agreed TO remain along.
eide the distressed steamer throughout
Wednesday. This crew continued 10
pour water and steam upon the burn.
Ing cotton. In tho evening an attempt
60 reach tho hold for tn. purpose u dis
covering II possible the extent Of the
fro was made. -Four nmouldrrlng
bales were taken out Of the hold when
II was found that Il was Imperative 10
shut up everything In order 10 exclude
the air.
All Of Thursday the situation con.
tlnu.d much the same. Th-ro were
occasional oulbunis Of dense smoke
from tho hold but no flames were vial.
bile. There was n heavy sea running
all day.
Toward midnight tho ''serylan bore
down toward the bwo vossela aud
agreed 10 stay by the "Clty Of Rich.
mond." The latter and the "Servia"
then went ahead nj full speed leaving
tho "Councllof" astern.
Friday tho fite appeared 10 shin,
from time 10 timc, 10 different parts "
tho hold, but seemed 10 DO le~sening In
intensity. Saturday no smoke WIS
visible, aud Il was supposed that the
fre was out. A number n cabin pass
cngup wofe forced 10 abandon their
cahlna In consequence OF the fire, aud
had not changed their clothes for four
days.
The origin Of the fre Il supposed 10
have been spontaneous combustion.
The scene on deck sfter the discovery
Of tho ilrc was remarkable.
Many groups Of women were pray.
Ing iervenIly and crying. There were
40 barrels Of oil slowed close 10 the
burning cotton. Luckily the flames
did not communicate 10 the oil. II !.
believed that tn. ilfo was completely
subdued before tho"City Of Richmond"
reached Queenstown.
The vetsol has proceeded for Liver.
pool, and declared 10 be all right.
The passengers say II was fearful
night, tho wind scrceching through
the rigging aud the sea washing over
the decks There was little hope Of
safety In case II should become necc-.
hary to take 10 the boats The suspense
was terrible, hut all bore up splendldly.
The intermediate aud Storage passen.
gers were comfortably Installed In the
saloon, away from the smoke and
fumea coming from the burning cotton.
hnrued TO Death.
NEW YORk, June ii.--A tenement
houft fire IA ttuuof Third Ayeutig This