Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1897-05-14
PENNED BELOW DECKS
SIXTEEN sTEERAGE PASSENGERS
ARE ROASTED ALIVE.
Raging Furnace of Blazing Cotton In
a Steamer OF the Delaware
Capes-Sixteen Dead.


ship liner Leone, which left her pier on
Saturday for Galveston, took fire at sea
and has returned with 16 corpses on
board. The dead were 10 steerage pas
sengers and three members of the crew,
who succumbed to the 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 decks and although frantic efforts
were made by the officers of the vessel
to save them, the fire had gained such
terrible Roadway before the danger was
discovered that all escape was cut OH.
The steamer carried In her cargo many
bales of cotton 1t Is 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 Storage
Even then the steerage passengers APP
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 little
alarm When 1t became apparent that
the fire had cut off the steerge, the cap
tain and men poured great quantities of
water down the ventilators and the most
frantic efforts were made for the escape
of those penned up.
There was no excitement among the
saloon passengers. Most of them packed
their luggage and carried it from their
state rooms into the main saloon. They
gathered in the saloon and remained
there, and after the officers had assured
them there was no immediate danger
they took matters quietly.
1.-THE steward made frequent trips and
| came back with reports of progress of the
| flames He said the fire was confined
| below the decks, and as the flames did
| not rise very high, the passengers did
not fully realize the extent of their peril
1.-THE crew. on the captains orders,
rushed for the companionway and at
tempted to descend. They were driven
back by dense volumes of smoke, ano
flames quickly followed. Smoke ano
flames also came up through the ventila'
tors, and 1T was apparent to all who were
on deck that below decks was a roaring
| furnace.
Steerage Passengers burned.
"Then ii dawned on officers and crew
that the unfortunate steerage passenger
| were burning to death. captain Whuel
! saw his crew driven back from the com
panionWay and realization OF the nor
ror made him desperate. lie rusneu u
the stairs and boldly attempted to go be
low. He did not get down more than nal
dozen stepS when increasing clouds
| smoke and flames shooting up around MN
drove him back on deck. He stepped pacl
to the shelter of the pilot house Ills rae
was scorched: his eyebrows were burne
off He stood there dazed and overcom
for a. moment. then he exclaimed: M
cod, no man can go through that AM
come out alive
Suckers in a Panic.
"When news of the fire reached the low
err DEPTHS of the ship. where the stokei
were feeding the boilers, they deserte
/ their posts and rushed to the deck,
of them in all. They clambered into TN
second boat on the port s1de anu pesa
' cutting it away First Officer Wallac
r and Chief Engineer Taylor were aIte
them in a moment.
= lace. 40,
= 'oThe stokers refused to obey, and wer
: on cutting away the flashing OF Inc pot
t ".Come out of that boat, reiterate
: Taylor, reaching forward with ms nan
= for his revolver. i will Shoot the Hia
:, who cuts away the boat.
: .srPhe Spaniards looked at the chlet Ell
k gineer, and then sullenly opeyeo.
O Assistance Came
l. The uuartermaSter stuck 10 the Wnee
!: the flames almost enveloping him. Ca
O tain Wilder ordered signal nghts OF III
4 | tress burned, and in a very Few mlnut
Il there flashed up on the darkness 10 u
n north an answering signal. 1t came llo
the City of Augusta of the SaVahns
s. line. which came alongside about ia
IS break. In the meantime the deck 10
35 ward of the pilot house burned ava
leaving the iron cross beams pare al
Is rod hot. The iron plating of the shit
n side glowed red hot. The passense
he were all transferred to the City OF A
% gusta, and the work of fighting the IL
ID VAS continued. About o'clock IN
If morning the flames were under cont u
and the steamer out of danger.
messengers were then transferred 10 |
d Leone and the City of Augusta pass
" on her way. The Leone returned TO
|