The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-12
Startling Night Scene Of Gran
deur, Pillage and Crime.
WRECKED PASSENGERS aoes6O


A scxrss Of lndeserfbabie grasisaf. 81
pa1iase and crime suggestive II tsse dayx
OF Capt Kidd ard the sssHish fFseooss-
ers: Of men fighting for Their lives ash
thieves or battling against tie aansss thAt
shot from the forward hstchwsy u ths
old wrecsesr ia = criussoa column towel
Ing toward the Clouds above was the
burning OF the W nItsiaw iz the aaxkssF
Of ssageay March L The detailed sso.y
reached here on the Australia. which =
rived last evening.
Agalnst the dark. lowering sky The hail
OF the ancient wrecker was siinoastted-
Q mass OF sosnlsr black Iier keel vas
fas, In toe mud and sine listed slightly
toward the sea- On ksr decks were a
hslf-doxen men. pacing gioosnliy W and
down. cufssng the fate that had besst
them since they left San Francisco weeks
before, but thankful that the ire that had
broken out In the hold of the ship the
morning previous had been conquered be-
fore great damage had been done.
IL was believed after the are had burst
burning for two days When the flames
were first discovered on the morning of
March 1 the matches we're closed down
tight and steam was turned into the hold
whsfe the flames were eating at ia. ship
sitals under a tremendous pressure Every
possible effort Was made 10 smother the
IRE. When Capt. Loekyer believed that
this had been done. he sent the first mate
below Ia diving suit. He entered the
coal bunkers bat found no fire there.
There was 40 decrease. however. ia Tie
volume of smoke that poured out of the
depths OF the snip and struggled 10 get
up and out into tue open air.
Late Ia the afternoon IL was believed
that combustion had ceased from the
smotheriag process that had been applied
10 the flames. Many OF the passengers
went ashore in small beats during the az
tsrnoon and others stayed aboard to pass
the night. "a they hoped In comfort aud
safety. After darkness settled over the
Icy waters OF the harbor. passengers and
crew prepared TO tarn ia. save those who
remained Oh deck 10 watch for Indications
OF another eruption OF fame and fire.
soon after dark bowling gale sprung
from the north. II was Icy cold Through
the rigging the wind whlsiled hoarse
and dlrefui warning Snow buraened the
winds. but dld not step their fierce flight.
The men Of deck muffied themselves in
their fuss aud oil skin souwssters VITA
cut a premoaitioa to the unfortunate pas
sengers. with q roar terrible 90 hear. tue
names burst suddenly into the engine
room. The engineer OF, watch beat a
hasty and terrified retreat The gale.
sweeping at terrific rate over the COM
paaion way. created a vortex into which
the flames and smoke poured in awful
grandeur. The tower Of fire rose Instant
ly and seemed 20 enyelop the whole ship
Mems hearse cries Of terror and fright
orders from the ships officers and the
lowing OF the 1--we stock cooped up below
in persloas proximity TO the flames COM
hIned IN Babel OF sound distinctly heard
above the roar OF wind and flames
Three streams Of water werv turned into
the hold and concentrated on the seeshlag
furnace 81 IRE. The whltelaw's power
fal wre,king pumps that had noaiea
many wrecked shlp ard hrcathed new
life into many an abandoned craft. were
brought into play against the force that
was fsst making the ship a hollow. Use.
iess hulk Sat AL 70 10 purpose.
The Nhitciaw's NhlSflss nailed In vain
for help a. the passengers AID eruw sst
hurriesiiy. ard fraatlgaliy about the work
OF saving The cargo Of provisions aud I've
stock |; was soon apparent to the rss-
sensers that the ship would be totally de-
sireyed. bat Capt LoekyeT ald na ii -
hope. and ssuaboFniy fought 10 save .sis
se~sea About o'clook preparations were
made TO land the horses \ lighter wss
troagh, alongside and The horses were led
on TO &. Feed ana provisions were sasss.
bled la miscellaneous fashion Oh board the
barsv.
Faster snd faster lho flames ate thetr
way thFeusa hulsAeaas aad piles -
clothing prosssioas and feed Ftantirslly
the pass~nsvrs svosat 80 save part II
their lSiongsrss. cnauxa ID a, ieast FRO.
tsct them fgem the raveuaus norsh wlntss
snd 60 keeT shem in faoa saul tley eauEa
recoNev tgom fhe Disaster Seelns thas :As
IRE sas making sssca rapid hsadway. sae
Passengers byssa heaNsng ayttc4as II a.4
sorts overheard sata the SEA, gor tae tide
"a take taeal ashore. The wiaa sacretsea
In l1siy aad Below the desks sAere wsS a
mssaU fgraacs useSaeutarllys tare.tessssg
"a cnsuit even tae men oe thr decks.
II