Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1897-05-10
TOOK FIRE AT SEA.
Ten SiGsTasa Passengers and Three Of
the Crew p5rlSh
on THE MALLORY STEAMER Ii ONa.
The Victims Prnurd Up Be,w en- Decks
With All Escape ~.
off


from this port Saturdsy afternoon, re-
turned at late nOur last nj hit with
hirteen corpses OF men, women aud
children aboard. They had been
burned and sufi jcateI on Saturday
night. Ten Of them were steerage pas
sengers, ono was the chips butcner
and two were stewards.
Whether they died from smoke or
flames Is u matter for conf rcture. 1t
Ia certain that their bodies were oharreo
beyon1 recognition before they we're
pulled out from the WI ecked sIeerage
quariefs.
That was alter the flames hal been
fought uuder, anu the Leoua haJ
headed again for New Y rk. While
the fiercsst part OF the fighting was
going ON her cabin pAssen ers watch ed
the performance from the Jsvk OF tho
City OF Augusta OF the same line, which
had passed at an opportune moment.
An Recipient mutt y among the
Italian stokers who fought to uesert
the vessel anu had to BIS beaten back to
their posts aided to tue vivid c0loring
OF the tragic voyage.
About l o'clooR on Sunday morn
lug, when the Lsona was of ID Ia.
ware Breakwater, force, SWIM fire
broke out In the forward cargo COM
pRIttneDt underneath the steerage Ia
which twenty.three pas.enaers bound
Tor Galveston, Texas, were asleep.
They nau arrived from Europe Oh
Friday.
1t was alter 2 O'Clock when First
4.,t.. unIl In, I... a.. A,
saw smoke arising ron the forecEstIe,
He aroused the captain aud the crew,
anu immediate efforts were made to
save the lives Of the steetage psssen-
gers.
WITH the first alarm OF fire the
Italian sIokeIs in the hold rushed upon
deck ana tumblipg iuto one OF the lie
boats were about 10 ewing IL of thu
davits when First Mate Wallace saw
them. Calling the cap ain to his ut
sistance, he pulled the Italians out OF
the boat after stubborn fight and they
were driven forward to assist the other
members of the crew in fighting the
lire.
rhe flames gained rapidly. Captain
Wilder ssnt up signal after sigual for
assistance. The sailors jumped down
on the storage deck, but were forced
back by the overpowering flames. The
Biserage was chOked with the smoke
amt the glimpse the sailors got OF 1t
showed the unfortunates In their try
Ing to get out Of their hunks, while
some OF th0Pe who had got out were
huddled up on the floor uaco nscious.
Captain Wilder aud u couple OF vol
unteers dashed Into the stesrsge despite
the smoke and flames 10 many passen-
geIs us they Could aud then returned
tor breath OF air. They started again,
but saw that It would be suicidal to
attempt another venture. For three
hours the officers and men batlleu
with the flames. The cabin passen.
gers, who had been awakened by the
noise on deck, turned cut OF their state
rooms in their tight clothes aud 1t was
with great u flieulty that they were
quieted by the sailors. Rockets were
sent mp every few moments but no
answering signal could be seen.
Those In the saloon passage knew
nothing OF the loss OF lie In the steer.
age. Even the men who were fight.
ing the tjre could only guess what
had happened TO tue missing immi.
granite.
About dnybreak the signals for
assistance were answered by the
steamer City Of Augusta when left
this port shortly after the Leona on
her way to Savannah. A half hour
later about 6 O'Clock in the morning
the City OF Augusta hove to Rioagside
the buroing steamer and the saloon
passengers were notified to prepare to
leave the Leona. They were ali trans.
fsred to the City OF Augusta In safety
anu the work OF fighting the firs was
continued.
About $ O'Clock In the morning the
flames were under control and the
steamer out of Danger. The passen.
gers were sent back to fhe Leona and
the City Of Augusta coptnued on
her way to Savannah. The Leona
put about and returned to port under
her own steam.
compartment was made as soon as the
snip had cooler of sufficiently, AID
thirteen corpses We're discovered,
Their attitudes showed that they were
trying to escape when death found
t1em, Some Ivy huudled in q heap,
others were on their knees with
hands outstretched I'D II to grope
their way through the darkness and
were burned 80 horribly that they
were utterly unrecognizable. The
flesh On their features was gone anu In
places the naked baneB, charred and
blackeneu, had been disclosed to view.
the butcher aud the two W alters We're
the asst burned OF any OF the Dc ad and
1t WAS easy 10 ideniiiy them.
The dead Were unuisturbed. They
are Sill lying where they fell and will
be removed on the order OF the coroner
today.
Part OF the Leona's cargo consisted
OF matches, winch were stored near
the wheel house and II Is possible that
the fire was caused by the matches.
The damage to this vessel and cargo is
extensive. At l O'Clock this morning
CHARLSE II. Mallory OF the Mallory
line and Coroner Uosber boarded the
Leonn. Alter viewing the bodies anu
questioning the captain, MIR. Mallory
said TO the reporters present:
"1here are thirteen dead on board.
But everybody on tho ship Ia so excit.
sd that havo not yet been able to get
a iull report about the hre. When
do | will give II out.
"rhis Ia all have been able to learn
80 fan; The steamer sailed on Saturday
NJ 8 O'clock Pun. She mad forty pas-
sengers on board, Of whom twenty.
three wore steersge. AT i O. m. Sun.
day morRiag nrs was discovered