The herald., 1897-05-10
ROASTED
LIKE RATS
In the Hold of a Burning
Steamer
A MALLORY STEAMER
Takes Fire Off the Capes OF
Delaware
SALOON PASSENGERS SAVED
sTEERAGE PASSENGERS DIE IN
THEIR BERTHS
The Vessel Puts Back to Port at New
York With Sixteen Corpses
Aboard-Other Marine
Disasters
| ssociated Press Special Wire.

Associated Press Special Wire.
NEW YORK, May 9.-The MallorJ
line steamer Leona, which left her piel
on Saturday bound for Galveston, tool
fire at sea, put back and arrived in port
tonight with sixteen corpses on board
The dead were thirteen steerage passen-
gers and three members of the crew who
succumbed to terrible fire which oc-
CURED off the Delaware capes at an
early hour this morning. The horror OF
the story can hardly be told tonight
Those who are dead were penned up be-
low decks, and although frantic efforts
were made by the officers of the vessel
to save them, the fire had gained such
Roadway before the danger was discov-
cred that all escape was cut off. The
steamer carried in her cargo many bales
of cotton. 1t Is not certain how the fire
originated, but when discovered it burs;
forth with such fury that it was impos-
sible to reach the steerage. Even then
the steerage passengers were apparently
unmindful of the danger, else the smoke
and flames had not reached them. The
saloon passengers were first reused and
in such a manner as to occasion little
alarm. When 1t became apparent that
the fire had cut off the steerage, the cap
tain and his men poured great quanti-
ties of water down the ventilators and
the most frantic efforts were made for
the escape of those penned up. In this
way eight of the steerage passengers
made their escape.
The dead are-steerage passengers:
BRIDGET SULLIVAN.
r. CATINE.
MRS. C. GUZZA.
MISS HANNAH sOLOMONsON.
MRS. VALCIKS.
MISS vALCIKs.
SOPHIE SCHWARTZ.
MARIA WADES.
TWO UNKNOWN CHILDREN.
TWO UNIDENTIFIED.
The crew:
ALFRED HARDY, waiter, New York.
ALFRED LANG, waiter, New York.
H. HARTMAN, butcher, New York.
The Mallory line steamer left here Sat-
urday at p. m, bound for Galveston,
with eleven saloon passengers. She car
ried a general cargo of merchandise.
Captain Wilder was in command, with
First Mate Wallace and Second Mate
Sweeney assisting. The chief engineer
was Taylor, with three assistants, and
a crew of rs men, including firemen and
deckhands.
Among the passengers were D. "
Winelow of Rutherford, N. j. On his re-
turn to this city Mrs. Wins
low told to a World reporter the
following graphic story Of the fire: 1--WE
left the pier at o'clock yesterday morn
ing. We passed through the Narrows
at o'clock yesterday, making excellent
time.
SANDY Hook was passed, and the
lights Of the Jersey shore were still Wis
ible when we went to bed. We passed
Barnegat at 10 o'clock. All the passen-
gers were in bed. The passengers in the
eteerage had also retired. The watch
going off at 10 o'clock reported every
thing well. There was no suspicion of
fire or any other trouble. The sea was
very smooth and there was no wind.
The moon was shining brightly.
First Mate Wallace was passing the
smoke coming from the forecaetle. He
and found the door to the steerage. The
he opened the door there was
a burst Of flame, which burned his face.
He ran on deck and cried the alarm of
fire to the forward watch, telling him to
wake the steward and have the passen-
gers aroused as quickly as possible with
out creating excitement. The steward
did this in quiet manner, going to each
stateroom and waking the occupants.
HE said in calm tones that there was
a slight fire in the forward part of the
ship and 1t might be advisable for the
to get their things together.
1t might be possible, he added, that the
ship would eventually have to be aban-
doned.
There was no excitement among the
saloon passengers. Most OF them packed
their luggage and carried 1t to the main
saloon. They gathered in the saloon
and remained there, and after the off,
GERS had assured them there was no
immediate danger they took matters
quietly.
'The steward made frequent trips, and
came back with the reports Of the pro-
gress of the flames He said the fire
was confined below decks. and as the
flames did not rise very high, the pas
sengers did not fully realize the extent
Of their peril.
Captain Wilder rushed on deck at the
first alarm, clad only in an undershirt
and trousers. He assumed command and
at once ordered the crew to rescue the
steerage passengers. On the same deck
with the steerage on the port side of
the ship large quantity Of cotton bag