The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-11
FLAMES HELD ALL THE SHIP.
TIE HOLD FURNA cE, EVERY uh1oH
SCOUTING FIRE

he Grew and Could Not Re Reneh e d.
The steamship Seneca Of the New York and
Cuba Mail Steamship line arrived YESTERDAYS
morning from Havana, bringing Cant. Hoff.
man and nfty-sx OF the crew OF the City OF Al
exandria. burned of the coast OF Cuba on Nov.
l. They bring tho first details Of tho disaster.
Tho City OF Alexandria left this port on Oct
% Tor Havana and Matanzas After dlscharr-
Ing part OF her cargo at Havana she proce ed ed
to Matanzas md began reloading for the return
voyage. In the cargo che took on were 400
puncheons OF rum. She sailed from Matanzas
at 3:SO L. Nj. on Nov. l, bound for Havana.
whence she was scheduled to depart the next
day for this port. She never reached Havana.
The run from Matanzas to Havana is a short
one. and 1t is usually made at the full speed OF
the ehip. because Havana Ia the real port OF
departure. and II Is essential that the vessel
shall have time there to take on tho larger
portion OF her cargo. Two hours out from
Matanzas tho City OF Alexandria was making
the best time she could: over the taffrail
tho blue water was churning into creamy
foam. and the long white iue Of wake showed
how swiftly she was moving. There was
strong wind from the north. and the sea had
piled up into high waves.
Suddenly. ut $40 o'clock in tho afternoon. n
terrific explosion shook the ship from stem to
stern. 1t seemed TO come from all parts OF the
patches and skylights were blown off, the
ter-tiGht bulkhends and partitions shat
tered. and even the seams OF the deck were
started. Uron the instant great waves Of
fame shot UP from the holds. and the ship was
enveloped in fire.
At the time Capt Hoffman was at dinner.
and the shock was so grcnt that he was lifted
bodily from his chair and sent sprawling over
the table before him. chief officer Buck was
L. Ii. - MAJ In, Iiocy tha hriI
First Assistant Engineer Murray was on watch
in the engine room. Both were thrown down.
Eight negro stcvedores sitting at supper on
the forward hatch were projected twenty feet
In the air. and all fell back into the fiery hold.
As soon as he could comprehend what had
happened Cant. Hoffman rushed from tho
saloon up the companicnway. Whom he
reached the deck he saw flames coming up
from all the open matches. He made his way
forward through the binding smoke and
reached tho bridge. There he met Second
Onicer Field ard Chief Engineer Lynch. who
shouted that there had been an explosion
throughout the hold and that there was fire
everywhere. At the same moment the officers
OF the ship not on duty came rushing outfro
their rooms. the sailors from the forecastle.
and the flrcmen from below.
stop tho Ship cried Capt. Hoffman to the
officer in charge the bridge stop the
engines"
The engines were 'stopped almost instantly.
and that decreased the draught Then all hands
were called on dec; to fight the fire. Part Of
the crew manned tho fire apparatus. while
others were detailed to rescue the eight negro
stevedores who had fallen back into the hold
Soon a stream of water was playing into every
hatch.
wheminG odds. Every soul aboard the ship.
officers and crew. faced the searching blaze;
It Ts IN def he wast
stood at the hose. the sweat dripping from
their bodies in rivulets. There was no panic;
to do. and did It Without niuchinr. The decks
became so hot that the so!es OF the mems
exhausted others came up to All tho
snd his ms obesed Sm eusomssens
lie directed the playing, Of the hose and saw
scar the horizon. 1t wat. fast growing dark
and the was runnin higher. He saw that
pended d@ upon on their :" own eSeriions " w
party detailed e the
Tor e they had +" face the flames at Closer QUAR-:
tiers. They could hear the cries of the impris-
Sss nsp D0B ss
stuck to the task that had been given them.
and got one after another OF the negroes to
This was a negro who had evidently been
badly injured 10y his fall into the hold. He was
help himself. He could be seen far down in
the hold his face turned upward 1t was i'm.
and closer 10 him he redoubed his cries. and
began to fling his arms about r as II endeavor.
Clothing he wora began to smoke. then to
blaze. and the watchers above saw that he
sHw esd to to f hesT all til. .h
EGt%lthsnndg ts Sugtle ana turmoil S w
then Strengthened up and cried:
"A pistol! Give me pistol"
given to him. Holding it in his hend.t Ca plain
loos ed about anxiously. He saw that there
hausted. 1t would have been suicide for any
one to ATTEMPT to rescue down that furnace.
Cant. Holman carefully sighted the revolver
and fred. The shot was without effect. Again
%a? 5n hs Al three
time the nrgrr. With spasnodic movement.
nS sst hg ams snd II ,r0p n
heap. The next moment the fire was burning
Xithorgh he whole shps com pany. officers.
iiremen, and sailors. were lighting
the, IRE with the igor Of despair. they made
the ship wa- doomed Two more explosions
came IN quick succession. and tho vessel shiv-
sen sea- was ~" b"r'mn sl more tnmn i ri"
names lighted NJ the blackncss that was like
sign Of I r" n Niles 5 10 "Se @ "ni
two miles from shore la" dnInca reel tpon
7 hts r"Ht cant ElpNmGh trterinlnei 10 beach
h g shi % aS III. only nope ~ saving the lives Of
tn" men uH,cr his r"mmnnd. He ord"r"d tho
inh"n,s Z" nn i', reauy an rnIIet lor vonn;
the engine. h,"' Engineer Lynch ana !Irst
h9sis'nnr EnGio"Hr Mnrr"y pndertook thS
the sIrip was headed duo south,
1t WAS II race for life. Livery moment the
Are was gaming. Inervated 10y the Intense
heat, and worn "ut by their iahors. it seemed
thnh the rr tnS s%d light the rT ~, no Longer
would he almost an hour ,c'ore there would
be any possibility 81 reaching the reef.
II was shortly after - O'Clock that n slight
grating If the ships keel wa Ielt. Then sud
DEN j. th"r" wa- 81 great shock. The ship was
caught on n sea AMI her Low rose high into
mir he next Instant she fail again. carrrned
amt struck with Jar that mad" her tremLls
from stem to stern Wave alter wave. pound,
ing, shattering devastating broke On. after
an oihrr clear over the vessel around he
tnrre WAS u raging. Kissing whirlpool, But
theirs SEEMED not enough water in the Sra to
uUrnrh that consuming fire that was eating
our the bowels 81 iier.
she wn4 on the reef. and great cheer broke