The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-21
OF THE PATRIA.
"A GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION BY ONE OF
THE PASSENGERS.
THE GOODNESS OF THE CAPTAIN
Anything Like n Panic-The
Passengers Assembled on Deck-The
Women and Children First Put Into
the Boats. Waiting Near the ship
Until the Cere Takes Them Aboard.
They Save Nothing But the Clothes
They Have On.

Southampton, November 1s.-The res
Icued passengers OF the Patria spent
last night at Southampton awaiting
the arrival of the Kaiser Frederick.
-Four Of the passengers were left at
lDover. and n OF these, a man named
Duplace, il is believed. will die be-
cause Of his terrible experience in the
English channel. 1t now seems prob
able ms Patria will be at least partly
saved What caused the fire is still a
mystery. but il is asserted that the
fact that the steamer was on fire was
withheld from the passengers for some
thine, Captain Frolich apparently wish
ing TO take his ship 10 Hamburg with
tout causing alarm if possible.
Mr.. Duplace has been for twenty
Years German consul at San Juan.
Porto Rico. With him are his wife
and Mrs. Ivers. Of New York city, a
fellow cabin passenger, who, being a
drained nurse and seeing the distress
of Mr.. and Mrs. Duplace, has gener-
louSly volunteered to stay and nurse
the consul, declining the opportunity
to continue her journey to Germany.
The fourth survivor left at Dover is
captain Frolich's steward, who went
to the help of Mr.. Duplace whe the
passengers were ordered on deck. Mr..
iDuplace was suffering from anaemia
land the shock of the exposure aggra-
waited the complaint to such an extent
that the attending physician told the
correspondent of the Associated Press
this evening that the consul had but
s&%11 Io~@@ -
passengers, Mr.. n Mrs. Duplace saw
led nothing but what they were wear
ing at the time.
Mrs. Duplace gives the following de-
I%scription of their escape:
1T was about TO- 80 o'clock yesterday
morning, the weather being calm and
fine and several of us being in the deck
saloon when suddenly Captain Frolich
appeared n shouted: All passengers
on deck!' Everybody started forward
with a rush. We are afire.' said the
captain, but there is nc danger. Don't
lget excited.
Just then smoke began to pour out
Through the deck nea the smokestacks.
MY sick husband was in his cabin and
lundressed. l hurried to him and be-
lgan to dress when in came the steward
shouting: Get out of this quick!' He
took my husband by the feet and I
SNPPo ~ iibo iiCad. W. I lCu W a
Try him to the deck, but the smoke chok-
led us, and the water from the fire lose
iSWlshed around our knees. / feared
THAT all was lost; but, going backward
Through another passage we managed
Ito reach the deck in safety. There all
1.-THE passengers were crowded together.
Thick cloud of smoke were blowing
lover the whole ship and distress sig
mails were flying. One passenger, who
had hastily come from the bath room,
appeared with scarcely any clothing
ION. Others found themselves equally
Iunprepared.
THE captain told us that he was low
Iering the boats as a precaution. So
1--we lined UP.
Women and children first shout
led the captain, who was standing near
me. 1 replied that / supposed L would
Ihave to wait for the mems turn, as /
|could not leave my helpless husband.
captain Frolich answered me by lift
ing my husband, placing him in the
bottom of one of the boats, ordering
Ime to follow and telling the steward
Ito go with us. Our boat was the first
lowered.
I'VE were all terribly frightened; but,
Though a few cried, there was no disor-
der. The officers and crew did all
they could and encouraged us to be
I'LL hllo SOols III JIG ooab was
being lowered, the bottom began to
lgive way. The women screamed and
for a moment it seemed as If the bot
tom would drop out; but the boat was
QUICKLY hauled Jack. Another BOAT
lhad no crew, the passengers doing the
rowing.
Meanwhile, some fishing smacks
had come up, and several passengers
boarded them, but Captain Frolich
beloved through the smoke that no
lone must leave the Patria's boats. SO
lthey left the smacks. From this order
1--we inferred that the sailors, who were
working ceaselessly, hoped to put out
1.-The fire. For more han an hour we
LAY alongside the liner, now hot and
lsmoke covered, cinders n debris fall
ing over our boats.
Through the fire we occasionally
lcaught sight of Captain Frolich on the
bridge. He divided his attention be-
tween giving orders to the crew and
Joking with us. Once ne shouted
llaughingly: The fire is in my cabin.
Nov / can't get my pipe and you all
know I can't do anything without my
Ipipe"
Then the Ceres came up, and her
1captain sang out: Your ships afire.
lShall I take your passengers? Fright
lened as We were we laughed. Captain
tFrolich made the Ceres promise to
take us to Dover, and then our boats
Ipulled over to her. and We were taken
Iaboard. The last we saw Of the Patrfa
Ishe was Just a mass of smoke and 60
ling slowly toward Hamburg. Many OF
us had to pay for wha little we could
tget to eat on board the Ceres. AT Do
lver everybody was very kind.
IF the captain had put US ashore as
lsoon Is the fire was discovered we
iwould not have lost u belongings nor
been exposed to such danger"
Dover, November 21.-Mr. Duplace
ldied here this evening from shock
Sixteen valuable ace horses on
hoard the Patria were suffocated and
burned to death.