Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-11-02
BLOWN UP AT SEA.
Total Wreck of the Steamer City
of Alexandria.
ONE OF THE FASTEST west INDIAN SHIPS
Fortunately No Passengers Were
on Board.
EXTENT OF LOSS IN DOUBT.

HAVANA, Nov. 2.-The steamship City of
Alexandria, belonging to the New York ana
Cuba Mail Steamship Company. from Ha-
vana and Matanzas for New York, has been
burned off Cojimar. The steamer was COM
manded by Capt. Hoffman.
The City Of Alexandria was one of the
fastest and largest of the American ships
employed in the West India trade. She was
an iron screw steamer of 2, ,4S0 tons burden.
She was 307 feet long. thirty-eight feet five
inches beam and twenty-six feet three
inches depth Of hold. She was built in 1879
by John Roach and Sons at Chester. Pa.
Her engines were of the compound type. the
cylinders n easuring AZ by Is and AZ by "a.
Bringing the News.
Early this morning a small boat, in
which were the second officer and eleven
other persons from the City of Alexandria,
entered the harbor here and reported the
loss of the steamer. They said that an ex-
plosion occurred on board the steamer, and
that shortly after she was burning freely.
The cause of the explosion is unknown.
The fire gained such headway that Capt.
Norman saw 1t would be impossible to
save the vessel and orders were given to
abandon the ship. The steamer had 400
hogsheads of rum on board, and this
when II caught fire caused immense masses
or flame to ascend from the hatchways, the
matches having been blown off. There was
great excitement among the passengers and
crew, but the officers soon succeeded in re-
storing semblance of order. AS soon
the hre alarm was sounded on the ship the
crew went to their fire stations. and the
stewards began to carry provisions to the
boats. The more cool-headed among the
passengers remembered the notice which
was In every state room of the ship, calling
upon them in case of fire or collision to re-
a "a hoof io,,o tod tn 81 th.a
notice. These passengers at once proceeded
to the boats and entered them. There was
comparatively little sea running and but
little difficulty was experienced in lowering
away the boats when the deep-toned bell
forward tolled the signal abandon the
Ship
The scene of the burning of the steamer
being only twenty-five miles from Havana
the officers in command of the several
boats-the captain, first officer, purser and
chief engineer-had little fear of not reach
Ing that port or some other place along the
coast.
In the first moment of terror some pas
sengers tried to jump into the sea, pre-
ferring drowning to being burned to death.
Those who arrived here this morning stated
that sixty persons were drowned, but this
is scarcely credited as crew and passengers
have reached Bacuranao
AS soon as the news Of the disaster reach
ed here number Of tugs were sent to the
scene of the burning of the steamer to rem
der whatever assistance they could Two of
these tugs returned this afternoon, bring
Ing nineteen survivors from the vessel The
explosion occurred late yesterday after
noon, and the ship was left burning a short
time afterward.
What II Said at the Omces.
NEW YORK. Nov. AT the Office
of the New York and Cuba Mail Steam
ship Company this morning cablegrams
were received shortly before noon an
nouncing the loss Of the steamer City of
Alexandria off the Cuban coast, between
Matanzas and Havana. The first dispatches
stated that the steamer was total loss.
Later one said that the crew and all on
board. with possibly the exception of the
purser and stewardess- had been saved. No
details In regard to the loss of the steamer
were received and the agents were unable
TO confirm or deny the report that the yes-
sci had been blown up.
The steamer had no passengers aboard,
according to the New York agents She
was to have taken passengers on at Havana
Tor this city. Her captain was X A Hoff-
man, an able an experienced officer The
purser. who Is supposed to be lost, Is r.
Bowen.
Maritime Exchange Advices.
The maritime exchange has received the
following from Havana: Steamer City of
Alexandria, Hoffman. from Matanzas for
Havana and New York (before reported)
with 400 hogsheads of alcohol, was wrecked
by an explosion at am. and is a total loss
by fire at sea. OF those on board TWENTY
eight were saved. Nothing known as to the
fate of the remainder"
The officers of the City of Alexandria
We're: X. A. Hoffman, captain: E. p Ruck
first officer; William Field, second officer:
X. Bowen, purser; c. A. Poole assistant
purser; T. Linden, senior quartermaster
william Rosenguns. assistant quartermas-
yer, >. w. heed, boatswain; c. Erricson,
carpenter; ]. A. Goding, cadet; j. A. Por-
ter, cadet.