Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-10-06
TRE STEINER LEOKA BUIRjNE:IDiI
n (continGed from First II Page.)'
A BATTLE FOR E7,l L1FE.

. About half n dozen men who were
on the starboard side of the boat We're
unable to get to the pier, and kept on
WORKING as DE- nothing was happening
to endanger their lives. They contin-i
ued until the ship was partially SUBJ
merged beside her pier. The men We're
thrown into the water. Deputy Chief
Duane and Fireman Thomas NTcFar-
land, of engine No. -, had to battle
for life and We're rescued with diff
Guilty. Several of the fire boats en-
gagged In the work of rescuing the
hremen We're nearly carried down by
the sinking of the Leona.
THREE EXPLOSIONS.
At 1880 o'clock tonight q report that
shook the deck plates forward showed
the presence of gas and possibly pow
der in the forward hold Another re-
port came about fifteen minutes later
and n third In about ten minutes. The
explosions were not serious enough to
cause u further inflow of water. At
about S:15 the flames were under con-
troll at the main hatchway and the
entire work was confined to the for
ward hatch. The flames were SO per-
sistent that they We're not under con-
troll for q long time, and the New
Yorker was kept at the boat playing on
her all night.
A MYSTERY.
The cause of the fire is q mystery.
The boat left Galveston on Wednesday.
September 81. 1t was said by one of
the passengers that three days ago the
matches We're battened down and upon
questions being put to Captain Wilbur
he said the cause was the high seas.
From that time the ship was kept at
full speed.
The passenger said that on several
occasions he had detected smoke, but
had not thought particularly about 1t,
as the captain said all was well.
Captain WILDER denies that the ship
was on fire at sea and says that the
first he knew of the fire was when the
matches were lifted to-day after ar
rival. lt
THE INSURANCE.
The insurance on the Leona is not
known. Charles Mallory, head of the
Mallory Line, said tonight that he
knew nothing about the fire. He said
that If the boat caught fire at sea, as
reported, and IL Captain Wilber had
Kept the fire under control for two or
three days he deserved credit for even
bringing the boat into the harbor.
HISTORY REPEATED.
a somewhat similar experience befell
the ship in 1S9S. On May She left
New York for her trip South and the
next morning fire was discovered com
Ing up her hatchway from the hold
The fire progressed and the City of
augusta, which was passing. was sig
nailed Tor assistance. She took the pms
sengers and rendered all the assistance
possible.
Upon reaching this port on May 10th
II was found that thirteen Storage
passengers had been burned to death.
They were found in blackened heap
IN the Storage. At that time Captain
WILDER was suspended for six months
for supposed failure TO properly take
care Of the fire.
During the war with Spain the Leona
was used rs United States transport
KRUGER'S COMMISSION.
New York, Oct. 5.-General James r,
O'Beirne made the announcement to-
night that he had been appointed com
missioner extraordinary in the United
States for the Transvaal by President
Kruger. The appointment was made
two days ago by n cablegram sent to
the Rev. DIR. Bosnian. Krugers per-
sonal friend and adviser. who was in
this country attending the Pan-Pres-
byterian Conference at Washington.