The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-10-06
ESCAPED FIERY DEATH !
Mallory Line Steamer Game In
With Fire in Her Hold.
VALUABLE CARGO A TOTAL LOSS
And the Leona, Sunk at Her Wharf In
New York, Is Little Better Than q
wreck-.Firemen Narrowly Escape
with Their Lives.

Ahu tho Lcou"s Guns ~ AhcT W MARI IN
New York, Is Little Better Than a
wreck-.Firemen Narrowly Escape
with Their Lives.
New York, Oct. 6.-The Mallory line
steamer Leona was burned and sunk
at her wharf in East river last night.
The cargo, consisting Of tobacco and
5000 bales of cotton. and valued at
s250. 900 to $500, 900, Is a total loss, and
the boat Is little better than a wreck.
1t Is believed that the Leona, which
sailed from Galveston on Sept. 27,
caught fire at sea several days ago,
since which time she has proceeded at
full speed, with batlened matches, for
this port. At $3.50 yesterday afternoon
the Leona came racing up East river
to her pier, where haste was made to
cebark the passengers and open the
matches. An hour later an army of
men was vainly fighting a fire in the
steamers hold. Finally the ship was
scuttled. So
AS soon as the Leona made fast to
her pier. about o'clock, the officers
of the vessel, commanded by Captain
Wilber, ordered the members of the
crew to try to put out the fire in the
hold without calling the fire depart
ment. This was soon found to be i'm
possible and an alarm of fire was sent
In. BY $50 o'clock ten streams were
playing from fire engines and six
streams from fire boats. The flremen
had hard time to get at the flames.
as the boat came into her dock stern
foremost leaving the burning portion
out in the water. s5g
The fire was at first confined to the
,orward hatchway. directly forward Of
he foremast. The matches being lift
ID, a tremendous volume of smoke
'ame out, making 1t utterly impos-
'lble for the firemen to see. Soon
ons of water were pouring into tho
loomed vessel, and the ship began to
ist to starboard. settling a little as
he did So About 6 o'clock about 70
!remen, with the chief and deputy
hief, were on the boat working to
;eep the fire from spreading toward
he stern. 1t was found to be beyond
he efforts of the firemen, snd an order
vas given to open the fore and aft
ort holes In order to allow the water
o enter and make her settle. The
'ater already pouring into the boat
'as managing to run along the bilge
eels until it had reached aft, and the
hip showed evidence of listing to
Most of the fremen finally left the
hip by sliding down hose which was
\ ota f,x hn x,,ho Io1p
zen men who were on the starboard
de of the boat were unable to get to
le pier and kept right on working
S il nothing was happening to en-.
anger their lives. They kept on until
lie ship commenced to sink slowly,
ut surely, until with a final list she
ent down. The men were thrown
Ito the water. Chief Duane and Fire
IAN Thomas Mcfarland of engine No.
;, had to battle for life. and were
.scued with difficulty. Duane was
ragged out more dead than alive.
everal of the fire boats engaged in
e work of rescuing the firemen
ere nearly carried down by the sink
g Of the Leona.
The cause of the fire Is a mystery,
he boat left Galveston on Wednes-
~. Sept. 27, and made her eight days
IN without special incident. It was
i'd by one of the passengers that
rec days ago the matches were bat
ned down, and upon questions being
It to Captain WILDER he said the
use was The high seas. From that
ne the ship had gone at full speed
ward New York. The passenger said
at on several occasions he had de-
rted smoke, but had not thought par
,uarly about it. as the captain said
was well.
Captain WILDER denies that the ship
IS on fre at sea, and says that the
st he knew of the fire was when tho
tches were lifted after arrival.
somewhat similar experience be-
the ship in 1898. On May she
t New York for her trip south, and
the next morning fire was dis
vered coming up her hatchway from
E hold. The fire rapidly grew larger,
d the City of Augusta which was
ssing. was. signaled for assistance.
e took the passengers and rendered
the assistance possible
Upon reaching this port on May 10
was found that 13 steerage passen-
RS had been burned to death They
re found in blackened heap in
; steerage. At that time Captain
lber was suspended for six months
supposed failure to properly take
'e of the fire.