El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-08-20

!. While the officers and stewards went
about the male passengers, Miss Hill,
the stewardess, Gained the fear of the
women, helped them to bundle togeth-
err few articles and provided each and
all with life preserver. The alarm
incident upon their sudden awakening
did not 60 beyond confusion, natural
to such state of affairs. But even
that gave way before the cheering
words of the brave stewardess, who re-
NAMED with them until the last wom-
an and child had gone on deck. By
such an extent that the after decks
| were beginning to char, and it was
| necessary to marshal passengers and
| crew to the forward deck. This Cap
! tain Ingram personally directed, as
we'll as the launching CT the boats.
While this was done he treasured the
passengers by telling them that land
was only little way off. and that their
danger was small indeed.
1t needed no sermon to the men that
! the women must be saved first. They
stood back OF their own accord when
the first boat had been launched
Wrapped in blankets, the women and
children were carefully handed into
the starboard boat amidships, which
two members of the crew. When she
touched the water it was seen that two
women were still on deck. One of
them was Mrs. Clsussen. young
bride, who, with her husband, was re-
turning from their wedding trip. The
other was Miss Hill.
In the second boat the Claussens and
the stewardess, only after much per-
suasion on the part of the male passen-
gers. took their seats with q dozen
men. After the first two boats got
away, the fire spread rapidly, sweeping
forward along the decks and threaten
Ing to envelop the whole ship. In
spite OF the danger. not the slightest
characterization on the part ofIthe crew
nor the least relaxation OF discipline,
was observed.
The seamen worked quietly and rap
idly to launch two more boats. al
though they were almost surrounded
by flames. A seaman named Lubin
was caught by the flames and and ter
ribly burned about the back, chest,
head and arms. Others in his detail
flames, but in spite of this close call
they did not enter the boats until or
dered by the captain to do so. Every
man was animated by the captains
courage, and when he told them to
hustle together q raft from material
aboardship, the brave fellows dashed
two wooden matches. This raft was
"
sailors jumped on it.
When they bad left the burning ship
the captain and the rest found two
more gratings, from which they built
raft. Two seamen and the captain,
last OF all. lowered themselves hand
over hand to the raft and, cutting the
line, showed off.
The four boats had been ordered to
Keep as close to the burning ship as
possible, in order that thew might be
by the life-saving crew of
Cedar Creek. whose attention would
undoubtedly be drawn to the burning
Jteamer.
The burning ship was soon a mass of
lanes. Explosion after explosion &C.
cured, caused by the ignition of am
large quantities of which
he ship carried as cargo. The boats
lad been in the water less than an
lour, when a white craft, propelled by
'ars, was seen rapidly approaching
'oat from the Cedar Creek station.
While the Cedar Creek men were
licking off the women and children
Jig sea-going tug hove to- carrying in
Ter wake three empty barges. The
ug took the ship-wrecked passengers
nd crew aboard. Some of the crew,
rho were almost exhausted by the ter
ible work Of the night, went along
| little fishing smack had also been
rawn to the scene of the disaster, and
q crew lent q helping hand to the
voyagers.
Captain Ingram refused to 90 aboard.
eclaring that it was his duty to stand
y his ship. as long Is there was any
disability OF saving anything. He re-
lained on the lifeboat " it'll the second
fficer and several of the crew.