Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-05-10
SIXTEEN LIVES LOST.
An Awful Disaster, Off Sandy Hook,
Yesterday.

An Awful Disaster, Of Sandy HOOK,
Yesterday.
The Mallory Line Steamer Leona,
from New York for Galveston,
Caught Fire Soon After Leaving
New York Harbor, While the
Passengers and Most of the Grew
Were Asleep-The Ship Made
Pert in Safety.
| New York, May 9-The Mallory Line
| steamer Leona, which left her pier on
Saturday, bound for Galveston, took
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 a terrible fire which
occurred 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 deck and although frantic efforts
weer made by the officers of the vessel
to save them, the fire had gained such
terrific headway before the danger was
discovered that all escape was cut off,
The steamer carried in her cargo many
| bales of cotton. 1t was not certain how
the fire originated but when it was dis
covered it burst forth with such fury
that it was impossible to reach the
steerage. Even then the steerage pas
sengers apparently were unmindful Of
the danger, else the smoke and flames
| had not reached them. The saloon pas
sengers were first aroused, and in such
a manner as to occasion little alarm.
When it became apparent that the fire
had cut off the steerage, the captain and
his men poured great quantities of
water down the ventilator 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.
Steerage passengers: Bridget Sulli-
van. r. Catiane, Mrs. c. Guzza, Miss
Guzza. Miss Hannah Solomanson, Mrs.
Valcicks, Miss Valcicks, Sophie
/ Schwartz, Maria Wades, two unknown
children, two unidentified. The crew:
Alfred Hardy, waiter Il years old, New
York; Alfred Lang, waiter, 10 years old,
New York; H. Hartmann, butcher, p
years DID, New York.
J The Mallory L. steamer Leona left
her pier Saturday at p. M, bound for
Galveston, with eleven saloon passen-
gers. She carried 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 about seventy
five men, including fremen and deck
hands.
Among the passengers were S. v.
Winslow, of Rutherford, N. J. On his
return to this city late tonight Mr..
Winslow told the following
GRAPHIC STORY
Of the fire to a reporter of the New
York World:
I'VE left the pier at three o'clock yes
terday afternoon with clear skies and
beautiful weather We passed through,
making excellent time, the chief engi-
neer congratulating himself that all
was we'll and even making the remark
to one of his assistants that he could
not believe this good luck could con-
tinue, for the trip 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 ten
o'clock all the passengers were in bed.
The passengers in the steerage also had
retired to their hunks. The watch going
off at twelve o'clock reported every
thing well and no suspicion Of any fire
or other trouble. The sea was very
smooth. and there was no wind. The
moon was shining brightly.
First Mate Wallace was pacing the
bridge about two a. m. when he thought
that he smelled smoke coming from the
forecastle. lie went down the forward
compapionway and opened the door
to the steerage. The moment he
did this there was
A BURST OF FLAME
which burned his face.
"Wallace turned and ran on deck and
cried the alarm of fire to the forward
watch. telling him to wake the steward
and have all the passengers aroused d.
quickly as possible, without creating
anv excitement The steward dld thls
in a ouiet manner, going TO each state
room and waking the occupants.
He said in calm tones that there was
sIigbt fire in the forward part of the
shin and il might be advisable for the
noesengers m get their things together.
r might be possible, he added, that the
Shin would eventually have TO be
abandoned.
There was no excitement among the
sa1oon Messengers. Most of them pack
ed their luggage and carried II from
their staterooms into the main sa!oo1'