The evening world., 1894-05-02
FIRE IN HER HOLD
Steamship Yuoatan Arrives in
Port Just in Time.
Is There a Plot to Destroy New York
and Cuba Steamships
One Of the Line Burned and Dyna-
mite Sccrctcd on Another.

The steamship Yucatan. OF the New
YORK and Cuba Mail Steamship line,
better known as the Ward line" ar.
rived In port this morning with fire In
her hold.
1t was discovered at SIS last might,
and the crew worked hard to proven,
the flames from spreading by turning
steam into the hold,
Only a few months ago the City OF Alex.
andria. of the same line. was burned a,
sea and several lives. were lost. The YES.
sci wds entirely destroyed.
Some weeks later dynamite cartridges
were found In the cargo OF the City OF
Washington. also of this line. 1t was
supposed that they were placed there
with the object Of destroying the vessel
by somebody in Mexico who had a griev.
ance against the Company.
The Orizaba. OF the same line, went
into port Nov. 3. 1893, on fire, and the
Seneca was towed into Havana recently
with a fire In her hold.
When the iucatan passed Quarantine
this morning the fire appeal red to be
under control. and 1t was expected tina
II would be confir ed to the omp rtment
IN which 1t broke out. There was no
excitement among the passengers and
perfect discipline prevailed with the
crew.
The steamer did not stop at Quar-
antine. but was boarded by the Health
oficer In the lower bay. while he was
on h'T way from rom Quarantine TO uor-
as 1t prevented delay at Quarantine.
In spite OF the fact tina abe was on
nre' me iucatan was allowed to come
n f6o, TO ., her p,r dock at pier Z East River:
about IL o'clock. neon.
me moment the pier was. reached the
passengers were requested to hasten
Flint, Indian. Excelsior and E. q At.
wood were engaged and drew up along
SIDE. the three first TO %extinguIsh the
stream. '"
Steyedores within ton minutes we're on
nGsri unloading the p%erishable cargo.
pouring out OF the hatch. and The smell
Of the burning hemp was plainly dis.
cernible in the Vicinity OF the pier.
Work was done rapidly, but no water
1t was feared. would cause a damage OF
at least $4,000
There is no excitement in the vicinity.
Tor everything concerning the steamer is
kept secret. Even the passengers. at
the request Of Capt. Downs. refused to
tell Of the events OF the last and peril
Gus night of the voyage.
Commodore Hughes. the general man
ager OF the lire. persistently refused TO
allow any one to go on hoard or even 20
on the pieI. ami positively refused 10
give reporters any information or per-
NIT them to get II from other employees.
a passenger told dn Evening World''
reporter that the fire was said to have
originated from a cigarette.
He said the fire was In the after hold
among 7SS bales OF hemp. seven cases of
feathers and a lot Of fruit.
A valuable horse consigned to Raphael
Tovtmi Is also in the hold
All the steamers matches were bat
tened down.. but In spite OF these pre-
cautions smoke ,as continually and
increasingly leaking out in places. while
from a venti!ator on the upper deck
poured out a c'oud of black smoke that
must have come from the hold.
The cargo in the forward part of the
ship was being removed this afternoon
as fast as possible. an extra force Of
men being put to work. As soon as This
Is finished the afterhold will be opened
and the fire put out.
At a late hour this afternoon smoke
was still pouring from the hatchways,
but no attempt was being made to get
at the fire.