Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-27
AN EVENTFUL VOYAGE
Fire From Sunday Night to Tuesday
Morning on the Gellert.
A HARD FIGHT FOR THIRTY-SIX HOURS.
Life Boats Made Ready to Leave
The Ship.
PASSENGERS SHOW COURAGE,

NEW YORK, Oct. 27.-The steamship Gel
lert sailed safely into port early this morn
ing and landed her 465 passengers The
voyage had been an eventful one and every
one OF the passengers wore happy look as
ne or she walked down the gang plank and
put foot ashore
Inc Gellert left Hamburg on October l6
and Jared well, so far as wind and sea are
concerned. At midnight on Sunday, October
e. however. the officer on watch received
Information that there was q .fire in the
aitership. The captain was hastily notified
ana all hands were ordered on deck,
An examination showed that the smoke
from the fire came out Of the ventilators
'hat enter the steerage. The ventilators
ana all other openings were tightly closed
and streams of water turned in to the steer
age and the lower hold Steam WAS ais,
turned on and every effort made to exiting
uish the fire.
Notwithstanding the perilous situation In
winch the passengers had SO suddenly found
themselves. there was but little excitement
among them. The cabin passen GERS ren,ov.
cd their effects from the after part Of the
vessei and the cabin deck was flooded
Ihen the life boats were made ready for
use ana every preparation made to leave
.ne burning ship If it became necessary
Inc engines were stopped SO as to avoid
any draught and the great vessel ROLLED
ia1iiy along with variable winds and a
moderate sea.
nv an nu atempt was made to locate the fire
Pu..hs holeS from the cabin deck Ia
.ne steerage. but this had to be abandoned
on account Of the dense smoke which roll.
60 through the openings. An atte:apt to
u,a", t rom the overlook to the fire by
U ala
on the same account Then all Openings
were closed to await daylight. When dav.
lght came several attempts were made
70 enter the steerage but without succaSs
1t was found that the Temperatures In thc
saloon was rapidly increasing, but this ia ct
was Kept from the passengers as long ar
possible. The carpets We're removed and
ing the decks cool
lew hours after daylight ON Monday
SMOKE was discovered coming through the
seams OF the deck. After awhile tba 90
cronret .ne omcers and the crew were
SIowheu with success, the exact loca tion
OF the nre having been found and strea ms
oi water were turned directly on the fire
inere was now less danger of the steam
I'M SeIns destroyed. and a general feel
ing ot renet prevailed. The iron plates on
me outside Of the ship on the starboard
sac were warm from the intense heat on
.ne inside of the vessel. but they were
Hu.ony cooled; Lines of hose were run
.hrougn noles In the saloon deck and all
DAY Monday and throughout Monday night
water was constantly thrown into the burn
ing Storage
On Tuesday morning the steerage room
was entered by way of the main hatch, and
by noon time the fire was extinguished
The burned cargo was thrown overheard
SO as to run no risk Of a recurrence of
the IRE. and when the last piece was cast
into the sea and all danger past a mighty
cheer went up from the passengers and
crew.
The cause Of the fire was spontaneous
combustion. When the fire started there
was fresh northwest breeze with very
rough sea, but later the sea Gained, and
during the rest Of the exciting time clear,
>eSght weather prevailed with moderate