The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1897-05-19
A FLOATING FURNACE,
MALLORY LINE STEAMSHIP LEONA
ASLtZE.
Sixteen Lives Lost-Steerage Passengers
Burned Like Cage Eats-A Passengers
Grsp'c story of the Fire.

Sixteen Lives Lost-Steerage Passengers
Burned Like Cage Rsts-A Passengers
Grspc story of the Fire.
The Mallory line steamer Lsona,
which left her pier in Nsw York OF
Saturday bound for Galveston, took
FIRE at sea, put back, ard arrived in
port Sunday eight with 16 corpses on
board. The dead we're 13 steerage
passengers and three members O. the
crew, who succunoed 70 q terrible
IRE at an earl hour this morning.
rhcse who are dad were peGned up
below decks, aud although frantic ef
tcrts were made by the officers Of tEe
vessel 10 save them, tie fire had
gained Sucn terrific headway before
the danger was discovered that all es-
csps was Gu oH. The steamer carried
in her cargo many bales OF cotton. L
is not certain how the fire o-igipate!,
but when it was discovered, it burst
forth with such fury that it was i'm
possible to reach the steerage. Even
the steerage passengers apparently
were unmin0ful of the danger, else
the smoke ard flames had not reached
them. Among the passengers was
S Y. Winslow Of Rutherford, n J.
On lis return to the city Mr.. Winsio1
told tbs following graphic story Of the
fire.: 1--WE left the pier at 8 o'clock yes.
te-day afternoon with clear skies and
beautiful weather. We were making
excellent time, the chief engineer con
giatulating himself that all was we'll
and even making the remark to one
o; his assistants that he did not believe
so good luck could continue, FOR the
rip had started under such favorable
auspices. Sandy Hook was passed
and the lights Of the Jersey shore were
still visible when we went TO bed. BY
the time we passed Barnegat light at
10 o'clock the passengers were n bed
TIE passengers in the storage had
also retired to their buuks. TIE Tatch
going of at II o'clock reported every
thing veil. The sea was very snvoth
and the moon was shiuing brig atly.
First Mate Wallace was pacing the
bridge about 3 a ru.. when ,e thought
ne snelled smoke coming from the
forecastle. He went forward to the
companion way aud opened tue door
to the ste=rage. The moment he die
so there was burst OF flame which
burned bis face Wallace turned and
ran on deck and carried the alarm OF
FIRE to the forward Hstch telling bin
to wake the steward and have all the
passengers aroused as quickly as pos
sible without creating aoy excitement
TIE steward did this il quiet man
ner, going to each stateroom aud "ak-
ing the occupants. He said IN calm
,opes that there was slight Gfe il
the fcrwsrd part Of the ship and It
might be advisable for the passengers
TO get their things toselher Il n!so.
be possible, he added, that the soi2
would eventually have u o.: eoan
d4ned. There was no exc;c~neat
amoag the saloon passengers, most o:
them packed ghsic luggage aod csr-
ried it from their starero5alS lls:" the
main saloon. They eagnered IL tne
main sta.eroonl and remain=d there,
and & ter tbs officers had asSdred tasn
mat there was no immediaTe danger,
lney took tne mater quietly :'he
steWar,, u1aje frequent trips fcr"asd d
aOd came back VIA rep0~ls OF tne
pro srgSs c: he flames he said thae
lie fire waS confined below decks a1d
as tie flames did not rise very hig ;
the passeasers G.d rot !ully realize
tha :x,eAt Of thsir peril.
"Caotsin Wider rushed on deck S.
the frs al4rn clad culy III al lndar
shirt and trousers H assumed cDtn-
uand at ouce, d red .n9 crew % res
cue tae steerage passengers. o. the
same deck with the stserage on ths
port side OF the ship, large qUan:lry
of cotton haegiG@ was stored s"para1
ID from the s.eerage passengers by a
board partition. The main deck was
almost completely filed With freight,
cutting Off ali exit from the steeraEs
20 the after part Of the ship The only
way out from the steerage was up the
70, ward compsnion way. The crew
on the captain 5 orders, rushed fcc tbs
com oanionway and attempted t. de.
sc4n6. Taey were driven back og
dense volumes Of smoke, ana fanss
quickly followed. The smoke apd
flames also came up through tae ven
tilators ard it was apparent 70 all VINO
were on deck that below decks was q
roaring furnace. Then it dawned or
the officers and crew tnat the untor
Inmates il the steerage we're probably
burning to death. Can't. Wilder So"
his crew driven back from the com
panionway and the realization OF the
horror below made him desperate.
II rushed to the stairs and boldly
attempted to go below. He did no;
get down more than half doz5n step
when the increasing clouds OF smoke
and the flames shooting up around
him drove him back ca deck. Il
stepped back 20 tie shelter Of the pl
LOT house. His face was scoTched
His eyebrows were burned away. Ha
stood there dazed and overcome for 2
moment. Then he exclaimed: Ny
God, 10 man can go through that and
come out alive. When the steward
aroused me jumped up hastily AID
dressed. I ran for ward to see ho"
extensive tbs fire was. the cap:aln
was just coming out Of the compan
ion way after his fruilless effort to 80
below. I stood oy and tried 10 IooE
down the hole, pat the heat and
smoke were 50 great thare | vas drlV
en- back. Wnen I locked down N
that horrible hole, the thought cane
over me like tha: over the captala and
the crew, that there were helpless geo
ole down belos who were prooao:y
burning to death.
Il tried to peer through she smoks
70 see il the Storage passengers were
running around below, and | hoged
hat we would BE- able TO reach Ghe u
"A some way. I listened for sounds
out could hear nothing. save TIE ro.,:
Of the fzmes as Trey grew n volume
and rolled round and round IL tas
,r,ow oraryerS There WAS not q