The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-10-06
STEAMER ON FIRE.
The Leona Came TO Her Dock In a
Hurry Yesterday.

New York, October 5.-Coming up the
East river at full speed at o'clock this
afternoon the Mallory liner Leona, Cap
tain Wilder. from Galveston, warped into
pier No. 20. The speed with which she
came up the river was due to the fact that
the ship was ON fro from the main hatch
forward to the bow. The officers of the
vessel ordered the crew TO try to put out
the flames without calling the fire depart
ment. This was soon found to be impos-
sibie ana an alarm was sent In. BY $40
O'Clock ten streams were playing from
Ore engines and six streams from Ere
boats.
The nreinen had a hard ime TO get AZ
the DANES, az the boat came into her
dock stern foremost leaving the burning
portion out In the water. The cause Of
the IRE Is mystery. The boat left GAL
weston on September eth and made her
eight days run without special incident.
10 was said by one Of the passengers that
three days ago the matches had been bat
tened down and Captain wildes then said
that this was owing TO high seas. From
that time the ship had gone at full speed
toward New. York. The passenger said
that on several occasions he had detected
smoke and had not tho ght particularly
about IL, as the captain said all was we'll.
Captain Wilder denies that the ship was
on fire at sea and says that the first he
knew OF the fire was when tho matches
were lifted today after arrival In the har
Dor. The fire was at first oniined to the
forward hatchway. directly forward. of
the foremost. Ihe matches being lifted
tremendous volume OF smoke ,ame out,
making IL impossible for the firemen to
sse. SCUM tons of water were pouring
into the vessel and the ship began to list
TO starboard, settling a little as she did
50. At six O'Clock about 10 firemen with
the chief and deputy chief, were on the
boat working might and main to keep
the fire from spreading toward the stern
1t was found to be- beyond the efforts of
the nreuen and an order was given to
open the fore and aft port holes 10 order
to allow the water to enter and make her
settle. The water which WIS pouring
into the boat ran along the bilgs keeis
unsil 1t had reached aft and the ship
listed dangerously to starboard Most Of
the firemen left the ship sliding down
q hose fastened to the wheel. About
half doZen men were on the starboard
side and were unahls to get to the piey
and Kept On working. until the ship sank
he men were thrown Into the water
Deputy Chief Duane ard Fireman Thorn.
as Mcfarland of enRine 10 had both e
battle for life and were cd with DIM
Guilty. Chief Duane Inel bis helmet and
was dragged out more dead than alive
Several fireboats engaged In rescuing the
firemen were nearly carried down by tn
sinkin Of the Leona.
Shortly before 3 O'Clock tonight thref
explosions which shook the deck piatss
forward showed the presence of gas and
pcssibiy powder in the forward hold.
The explosions were net serious enougl
TO cause further Inflow OF water. A
about Is the flames were under contTo
at the main hatch way and the entire Wort
was confined to the forward hatch. The
flames were not under control for a Ions
time and the fire boat was forced to keeJ
playing on the cargo ali night. The car.
90, valued at from $780, 900 to $500, 900, H. /
total loss. 1t consisted of cotton anc
tobacco. The bost is regarded as beinl
little better than wreck.
A somewhat similar. ak perlencs hefell
The ship In May. 1898. At that time
iteerage passengers were burned 10 deaf
snd Capt Wilder was suspended for six
months for supposed failure to properl,
AXE care of the fire.