The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-17
HER ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PASSEN-
GERS PUT INTO BOATS.
THE TIMELY ARRIVAL OF AID.
The German American steamer Patria
Discovered on Fire - Futile Efforts
to Check the Flames-Perfect Order
Among Officers and Crew-As the
Passengers are Gotten Into the Boats
the Ceres Comes to the Rescue-The
Captain stays BY His ship.

London, November 15.-The Ham
burg-American steamer Patria, Cap
tain FroIich, which left New York No
vember 4th for Hamburg and passed
the Lizard yesterday, is on fire near
Dover. All the passengers were res
cued and have arrived at Dover
The Russian steamer Ceres sighted
the Patria, showing signals of dis
tress and demanding immediate help.
lightship. The liner was enveloped in
smoke. Putting on full steam the
Ceres soon reached her, and, sending
a boat, learned that Captain Frolich
was in urgent need of assistance.
The boats Were go. out. ard with
great difficulty all of the Patria's pas
sengers, numbering $50, We're trans
ferred Ito the Ceres. which proceeded
for Dover, where she arrived just be-
fore midnight.
Francis w Prescott, the United
States consul In Dover was immedi-
ate-y notified and he consulted with
the harbOr authorities, who arrangLQ
to send out the harbor tug Lady Vita,
which brought the rescued ashore.
Among the saved are many ladies and
children, as we'll as six babes in arms
The hurry of the rescue was indicat-
ed by the fact that most of the pas
sengers were enveloped in blankets
only. They were rapidly distributed
among the hotels or sent to the sailors
home and everything possible is being
done for thcir comfort
According TO the interviews with
some of the passer gers, which elected
the fact that most of them are Amer
lean citizens who have come for a va
cation in Europe, all were ordered on
deck ait O'Clock Wednesday morning,
when they were informed that a Qis-
astrous fire had broken out among the
general cargo, and, as the crew were
unable to master it, the captain said
he considered it advisable for the pas.
SengerS to take to the boats.
Ait this time, lit was evident that The
fire had obtained a thorough hold upon
the cargo. Smoke and flame were as
cending with overpowering force and
causing the greatest alarm. the crew,
according to several passengers, work
ed like heroes in their endeavors to
keep the flames under, but the great
quantity of nnseed among the cargo
and the oil supplied by this made All
their efforts hopeless.
There was very great excitement
among the women and children, hut
the example set by 1.-THE GOODNESS OF
Captain F'rOlich and the crew had a
calming effect on the passengers gen
orally.
The boats were promptly got over
the side, the crew working as if they
werc at drill. The safety Of the ladies
and children was the first considera-
ton. AS the fire had by this time
consumed the greater part of the pas
sengers' belongings, they had come UP
into the boats as they had come up
from their hunks. and some Were in
very light raiment.
The scene was a striking one with
come touching aspects, as husbands
and fathers parted from wives and
children. Although everything was
carried out under the most trying con-
ditionS, thanks to the great GOODNESS OF
the captain and the crew, there was no
panic, all Of the passengers being got
ten into the boats and into two fishing
boats said to belong to YARN )uth,
which had come up in the Meantime.
just as this had been effected. q
large steamer was seen to be making
toward the burning liner. She proved
TO be the Ceres, which first sent a boa.
and then picked up all the Patria s
passengers. The Ceres also offered to
take off Captain Frolich and the crew,
but the latter preferred to remain
THE vessel so long as there was any
chance of saving her, although there
was the greatest danger in doing SO,
her hull being red hot at the time and
there being every evidence thai she
would burn for a considerable period.
Ihe passengers say they learned
from the officers that Captain Frolich
hopes to putt his steamer ashore at
some point on the coast where there
will be a possibility of saving ner