The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-05-11
NO EXCITEMENT.

snip WOulu 0Nenludliy nave ~ NC aDUH-
doned.
NO EXCITEMENT.
"There was no excitement among the
saloon passengers. Most Of them packed
their luggage and carried it from their
staterOoms into the main saloon. They
gathered in the saloon and remained
there, and after the officers had assured
them that there was no immediate dan-
ger they took matters quietly
"The steward made frequent trips for
ward and came back with reports Of the
| progress Of the flames. lie said that the
| FIRE was confined below decks, and, as the
flames did not rise very high. tho passen-
gers did not fully realize the extent of
their peril
CAPT. Wilter rushed on deck at the
| first alarm. clad only IN an undershift
| and trousers. He assumed command. and
at once ordered the crew 10 rescue the
Storage passengers. on the same deck
with the steerage, on the port side OF
| the ship, a large quantity Of cotton bag
\ ging was stored, separated from the steer
| age passengers by a board PARTITION.
| 1.-The main deck was almost completely
| filed with freight cutting off all exit from
the steerage to the afterpart of the ship.
| The only way out from the steerage was
| up the forward cOmpanionway.
| COULDN'T REACH THE STEERAGE.
"The crew, on the Captains orders.
| rushed for the companionway and at
| tempted to descend. They were driven
| back by dense volumes Of smoke and
| flames quickly followed. The smoSe and
flames also came up through tho Nei IL
| latOrs and IL was apparent 10 all VINO
were on deck that below decks was a
| roaring furnace.
'.,rhen il dawned on the officers and
crew that the unfortunates i'm the steer
age we're probably burning TO DEATH
| CAPT. Wilder saw his crew driven beck
| from the cOmpaniOnway ana the rea.iza-
| ton of the horror below made him ces-
perate.
ole rushed TO the stairs ana boldly at
tempted TO so below. He did not set
down more than half q dozen steps VIXEN
the increasing clouds of smoke and tie
flames shooting up around him drove him
| back on deck.
"He stepped back TO the shelter Of tho
| pilot house. His face was scOrched His
| eyebrows were burned away. re stood
| there dazed and overcome for moment
| Then he exclaimed:
My God. no man can 80 through that
| and come out alive"
AWFUL SITUATION.
"On deck there was only the hoarse
shouts Of the Captain and the hurry and
! hustle of the crew as they rushed about
| laying lines Of hose and pouring streams
| of water down the COmpanionWay and
| through the open ventilators.
Il stood in the lee of the pilot house
watching the officers and crew making
| futile efforts to reach the steerage. The
| horror of the situation was at first para
| living 1T seemed as though the men and
women whom 1 had seen go into the
| storage the day before were being Gre
mated beneath my feet
"rhe deck was getting blistering hot.
| The flames began creeping higher ana
| higher. through every outlet from be-
meath the deck. The pouring Of water
| down the companionway and through the
Ventilators had no effect save 10 send
| ND the smoke in great puffs and cause
/ angry spurts of fire to dart menacingly
into the faces Of the crew.
PANIC AMONG THE CREW.
'When the news Of the hr6 reached the
/ lower depths OF the ship. where the
stokers were feeding the boilers. they
| deserted their p0sIs and rushed 10 the
deck. eighteen of them in all.
They clambcrcd into the second boat
on the port side and began cutting IT
away. FIRST Officer Wallace and Chief
Engineer Taylor were after them in
! moment.
Get out of that boat. thundered Wal
/ lace.
''The siokors refused to obey and went
! on cutting away the lashngs of tho boat.
Come out Of that boat echoed Taylor
Then he added. reaching with his hand
for his revolver IN shoot the man who
cuts away the boat
"The Spaniards looked at the chief en-
gineer. and then sullenly obeyed
During the excitement Of the first half
hour We did not know that any one had
| gotten out OF the steerage alive. but later
we found I'm the cabin that eight Of them
I had managed TO get out. Their hunks had
been nearest to the c0mpanionway and
they mad been awakened by the part of
the crew rushing out of the fOrecastle
"Being so near the stairs they had
climbed out even tefse the first officer
had rushed down on the first smell Of
smoke"