The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-10
OVER A FURNACE.
Soldiers on Board the Transport
Morgan City
Sail For Days With a Fire
Raging in the Bunkers.
WAS KEPT A SECRET.
Night and Day the Crew Fought
the Flames.
And the Men Above Knew
Nothing of 1t.
FIRE STILL BURNING
When the Expedition Reached
Manila Bay.
Entire Fleet Was Delayed in
Consequence.
Ind the Men Above Knew
Nothing of It.
FIRE STILL BURNING
When the Expedition Reached
Manila Bay.
Entire Fleet Was Delayed in
Consequence.

New York, Aug. 1O.-A dispatch to the
World from Manila bay, August A. via
Hong Kong, says:
The third Philippine expedition is
here, twenty-five days out from Homo
lulu. Never did an expedition encoun-
ter more dangers or endure more perils.
On the voyage six men and one officer
died and fifty more were taken sick.
Typhoid and meningitis played havoc
on the transports. Two firemen went
insane and leaped overheard. But the
fire was the worst peril of ALL
The dead are:
Ralph Bowers, signal corps. of Los
Angeles, on July 20.
Ernest Bowker, wyoming battalion,
on July 20.
Frederick Buckland, Thirteenth Min
nesOta, of st. Paul
r. D. Kerr, lieutenant of engineers,
of West Virginia, July 21.
Stephen Rody, Twenty-third infantry,
of Dallas, Texas, on July IA.
W. D. Kelly, fireman, of San Fran
cisco, on July 19.
John Stockville, fireman, of San Fran
cisco, on July 4.
The fleet of transports and their con-
vOy, the monitor Monterey, were three
days out from Hawaii when fire was
discovered aboard the transport Nor
gan City. One of the crew reported
to Captain Dillon that there was a
blaze in the coal bUnkers.
Get out the hose" whispered the
captain to the first mate.
At midnight, when all the troops were
asleep, Captain Dillon assembled the
crew and told them the news Every
man was pledged to secrecy. To let the
soldiers know that they were over a
raging fire would precipitate panic.
Silently the men coupled on the hose
and the steampipes. Then they began
battling the flames in the hold. Next
morning the fire was as fierce as ever
Night and day the heroic crew fought
the fire, but with little success. And
still the troops aboard did not know
that fire was burning beneath their
feet.
The Morgan City fell off in speed ana
the whole fleet was delayed. Captain
Dillon did not signal the flagship. He
kept his men at work fighting the
flames in the bunkers while the troops
went about on deck all unconscious of
their peril.
The bunkers were still burning when
the Morgan City arrived here. Then
for the first time the troops learned
of their danger. The flames were ex-
tinguished after the ship had been in
On board the Morgan City were 500
men of the Idaho volunteers and de-
tachment of Nebraska volunteers.
The next most interesting incident Of
the VOYAGE was the sight of the active
volcano Faralien de PajarOs. The ships
passed it on the night of July % when
it was in full opefauon. a coluIhh oL
flames mounted far into the air and
Illuminated the sea. The men crowded
to the rails and enjoyed the spectacle
until it sank beneath the horizon, leav-
ing only a pillar of flame mirrored in
the clouds.
All through the voyage a watchful
eve was kept for hostile sails, but none
were seen. All the talk was of Camara
and his fleet that was to do so much.
The men half expected to encounter his
squadron in mid-ocean. Dewey was
prepared for Camara had he dared to
come through the Suez canal and the
officers of the American fleet say that
there would have been a repetition Of
the battle of May 1, when Dewey dis
posed of Montejos fleet without the
loss of single life or any injury of
importance to any ship.
About twelve thousand pounds OF
fresh beef was spoiled on the Indiana
and several thousand pounds more on
the other transports.