New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-06-28
FIRE BREAKS OUT AT SEA.
DISCOVERED IN THE HOLD OF THE CITY
OF ROME.
BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL IN A FEW HOURS
COURAGEOUS CONDUCT OF CAPTAIN
AND CREw-EXCITEMENT AMONG
THE PASSENGER:

THE PASSENGERS
The Anchor Line steamship City OF Rome
which arrived here from Glasgow last evening
narrowly escaped destruction by fire which
broke out on Saturday. presumably through the
spontaneous combustion Of some jute which was
In her cargo. Captain Hugh Young, who Is the
commodore of the Anchor Line fleet and com
mands the City Of Rome, said, when the ship
was moored n her dock at Pier No. -. North
River, Twenty third-st last evening" THE fire
discovered at 2:30 p. m. and was In Hold
No. 4, directly under the main saloon. The snip
was then In latitude :2S. longitude, G'':2o
The crew OF 22J officers and men were immedi-
ately called to fire quarters Steam was turned
into the hold and about twenty-five holes were
cut In the saloon deck through which water was
poured into the hold from lines Of hose cargo
removed from Hold No. 3. and lines or nose
were also led into Hold No. through the bulk
head door. The fire was under control by ':5o
o'clock. but the crew continued 10 work all night
No one was injured. but the smoke was so dense
in the stokeroom that stoker was overcome
and had to he taken on deck When the fire
broke out. the ships fourteen lifeboats were pro-
visioned and swung out board ready for lower
ing. Two vessels were near by. and onered
to transfer the passengers TO them, but ADVISED
them to remain on board. which they did Ihev
were remarkably calm. and there was no undue
excitement The fire Is still smouldering. but no
estimate Of the amount Of damage done can be
made until the burned cargo Is discharged
When the City Of Rome came up the bay she
was under her steam, but was accompanied
by the powerful wreckirg tugboat, the l. o. Mer-
rtt Of the MerrittChapman Wrecking and Der
rick Company. The hreboat New-Yorker went
to the Anchor Line pier, but her services were
not reouired The City Of Rome had %
first cabin 90 second-cabin and 80 steerage
passengers. which with the crew Of ODD made
total Of IJ1 persons board The passengers
all said that while there was considerable ex-
cjtement when the fire was discovered, there
was no panic and they spoke in terms of high
praise Of the thoroughness Of the fire drill and
the perfect discipline maintained by the captain
and his officers.
T.. s Bender. OF Albany. ~ Y, who was a
nrst-cabin passenger told the following story:
"Of course there was considerable excitement
at first Captain Young. who deserves great
credit. had the passengers assembled, and told
them that If they would keep quiet he would
bring them safely into port There were
barkentine and a schooner about two miles
away. Most Of the passengers had their grip
sacks in readiness to leave the ship but after
Captain Young had spoken TO them they re-
solved 20 remain on board, and gave him three
rousing cheers"
DR. r. r. Stevenson. OF Sioux City. Iowa, said
that the cabins were deusey filled with smoke
and flooded with water. Some OF the state
rooms were In the same condition, and their oc-
cupants had to be removed to other quarters.
A. Il. Pickett Editor Of The Daily Cimetar,
OF Memphis. Tenn, said that the fire was dis
covered through large volumes or smoke pour
ing from the ventilators.
A woman with two young children who lives
in Ohio and who declined TO make known her
name gave some additional facts: When the
boats were provisioned and ready for launching.
the women" she said. were told To prepare 10
leave the ship. and 10 get their handbags ready
In all the great excitement there We're neither
pra yers nor hysterical rawlings such as frequent
ly accompany such occurrences Although we
had clergymen on board no religious service was
held on Saturday. nor did any OF them engage
in public prayer for delivery from danger but
services for our safe arrival were
held this afternoon. The staterooms were
flooded with water. and most OF us had to be
transferred to other staterooms. AT midnight
on SATURDAY. sore women had to be transferred
again. as the water had invaded their new
quarters. The captain and crew deserve great
credit for their coolness We had fine weather
throughout the voyage. and on Ihursday ana
Friday we saw about twenty icebergs
When the City OF Rome was off Fire Island
she sgnalled that she was en- 1re. ms racl
was ,elegraphed TO the city and caused great
anxiety among the friends Of her passengers.
who assembled in large numbers at the pier to
await their coming.
The passengers held n meeting yesterday
afternoon and unanimously adopted a series OF
resolutions expressing their high appreciation Of
the skill and courage OF Captain Young and his
officers. and the bravery ara Boou dlsclpllhe as
played by the crew
The city Of Rome Is an iron screw steamship
with four masts. She was built In Barrow. Eng
land in ISL and is of s.li4 tons gross and
( i1i tons net tonnage. Her length is Jl6 feet,
beam - feet and depth 81 feet.