The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1898-08-01
FIRE on \ LINER.
AMERICAN SUNDAY SCHOOL
DELEGATES IN DANGER

The Cunard liner Catalonia from
Boston, which has arrived at
Queenstown with go passengers.
reports that on Wednesday evening
q fire as discovered to have broken
out amongst the cargo of cotton on
board. The matches of the hold
were removed and number of the
crew succeeded in separating the
burning material from the rest Of
the cargo and hoisted it on deck,
where a volume Of water speedily
eXtinguished the flames. A large
number of passengers watched the
efforts of the crew extinguishing the
flames, but there was no panic.
PASSENGERS GRAPHIC STORY
One of the passengers, Il delegate
to today's Sunday School Confer
ence in London, sends us the follow
ing graphic account Of what happen
ed:
1.-TWO hundred and four delegates
to the worlds Third Sunday School
Convention, ON their way from
Boston to London, sailed i'm the
Catalonia. and had an exceedingly
fine passage. On the night of July
| 9th, how ever, about ten O'Clock,
while about 500 miles from Queens
town, the passengers were enjoying
a light lunch, after the evenings
| entertainment, when the delegates
occupying the state rooms in the
after part of the ship noticed the
smell Of something burning. Some
one could see little smoke issuing
! from the hold ventilator pipe. be-
tween the upper and cabin deck.
| The stewards attention was called
to it, and Third Officer Capper was
soon on the spot. He sent for the
| captain, who. after consultation
with the chief engineer, ordered the
fire alarm to be sounded. Tue well
| drilled crew sprang to their places,
! compartment iron doors were closed.
passengers who had retired were
reused, and all ordered forward, o:
to get on the upper saloon deck.
| !Iatches on three decks were then
removed, and the smoke poured out.
Officers and men bravely fought
| their way down to where the fire
| was. Bales of cotton had to be re-
moved, and it was 4 work Of actual
bravery for the men to fasten Crap
nels on the bales and have them
hoisted out. Water. smoke, and
steam seemed almost too much for
them to contend with, while the
passengers on the upper saloon deck
watched, prayed and waited
"After hours of labor the bales Of
cotton which were on fire were
reached, and hoisted and thrown
overheard, the woodwork fire was
put out. and Captain Stephens was
able to tell the passengers trat all
danger was past. At half-pa5t
three Il. m. the passengers were al
lowed to return to their state rooms.
Every body VAS thankful to get back,
and seemed chiefly concerned about
shaking hands with the sailors, with
many expressions as God bless YOU.
Next morn ng, after devotional
exercises, the delegates and other
passengers joined in suita-
bic memorial to the captain,
officers and crew for their
conHuct at the critical time. In
addition it was decided to present
the captain with Bible to cost not
less than twelve dollars, and 4 sub
scription of $500 was raised for the
were. When the presentation Of
the memorial and subscriptions was
made, Captain Stephens called upon
his men to give three cheers for
President Mckinley, and e dele
gates responded by singing God
save the Queen Third Officer
Capper, who was conspicuous in the
work OF extinouishi g the fire, be-
ing carried shoulder high. 1t is re-
markable that on F'iday, after land
had sighted, the cotton again ignited,
but the smouding bale was at once
discovered and thrown overheard"
London Daily Chronicle.