Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1897-05-15
PINNED BELOW DECKS
SIXTEEN sTEERAGE PASSENGERS
ARE ROASTED ALIVE.
p,~,,y Furnace of Blazing Cotton In
steamer on the Delaware
Cnpes-Sixteen Dead.

New York. May 10.-The Mallory steam
shin liner Leone. which left her pier on
Saturdav for Galveston, took fire at sea
and has returned with l6 corpses on
hoard The dead were Is steerase pas
eanvars and three members OF the crew
who succumbed TO the terrible ilAe winch
occurred off tue delaware capee o. az
early hour this morning The horror OF
the story can hardly be told toHislI'
Those who are dead were penned w De
low decks and although frantic ehorts
were made by the officers OF the Nessei
10 save them, the fire had gained such
terrible Roadway before the danger was
discovered that all escape was cut on
The steamer carried in her cargo many
bales of cotton. 1t is not certain no"
the fire originated but when 1t was as
covered it burst forth with such tufy lhat
it was impossible to reach the sleeIdSe'
Even then the steerage passengers ap-
parently were unmindful OF the DANGER
else the smoke and flames had not reach
ed them.
The saloon passengers were first arouS-
ed in such manner as TO occasion niue
alarm. When it became apparent lhat
the fire had cut off the steerge, the cap
tain and men poured great QUANTITIES Oh
water down the ventilators ana the most
frantic efforts were made for the escape
of those penned up.
There was no excitement among Ihe
saloon passengers. Most of them PACKED
their luggage and carried it from lneli
state rooms into the main saloon Ihey
gathered in the saloon and remained
there, and after the officers had assured
them there was no immediate "dll6ei
they took matters quietly.
'"rhe steward made frequent trips ana
came back with reports of progress OF the
flames. He said the fire was coilllleu
below the decks, and as the flames dld
not rise very high, the passengers dld
not fully realize the extent of their peril
THE crew, on the captain ORDERS,
rushed for the companionway and at
tempted to descend. They were driven
back by dense volumes of smoke, and
flames quickly followed. Smoke ana
flames also came up through the Vehtlia-
tors, and it was apparent to all VINO were
on deck that below decks was roaring
furnace.
Steerage Passengers Burned.
"Then it dawned on officers and crew
that the unfortunate Steerage passengers
were burning to death. captain Nlldei
saw his crew driven back from the com
Danionway, and realization of the hor-
ror made him desperate. He rushed TO
the stairs and boldly attempted to go be
low. He did not get down more than nan
a dozen steps when increasing CLOUDS OIL
smoke and flames shooting up around MN
drove him back on deck. He stepped pack
to the shelter of the pilot house. lbs face
was scorched; his eyebrows were burned
off. He stood there dazed and overcome
for a moment then he exclaimed: MY
God! no man can go through that ana
come out alive.
Suckers in Panic.
when news of the fire reached the low
err depths of the ship. where the stokerS
were feeding the boilers, they deserted
their posts and rushed to the deck, Il
of them in all. They clambered into the
second boat on the port side ana begaf
cutting it away. First Officer Wallace
and Chief Engineer Taylor were after
them in a moment.
" Get out of that boat Numbered wal
lace
THE stokers refused to obey, and went
on cutting away the lashing of the BOAT
leone out of that boat reiterated
Taylor reaching forward with his hano
for his revolver. 1 will shoot the MAI
who cuts away the boat
THE Spaniards looked at the chleI en-
gineer and then sullenly obcyed.
Assistance Came.
The Quartermaster stuck to the wheel,
the flames almost enVelOpng him. cap
tain Wilder ordered signal lights OF dls-
tress burned and in a very few minutes
there flashed up on the darkness to the
north an answering signal 1t came from
the City of Augusta of the savannah
line, which came alongside about day
break. In the meantime the deck Tor
ward of the pilot house burned away,
leaving the iron cross beams bare and
red hot. The iron plating of the snip $
side glowed red hot. The passengers
were all transferred to the City of Au-
gusta, and the work of fighting the fire
was continued. About o'clock In the
morning the flames were under control
and the steamer out of danger. The
TarE y1yarn
Leone and the City of Augusta passed
on her way The Leone returned to her
dock"