Evening star., 1899-11-16
THE PASSENGERS COMPLAIN
Declare Their Baggage Might Have Been
Saved on Pasria.
neutrality-suspicious. Liner Arrived OF
Dover Yesterday With Cargo
Fire.

DOVER. England. November 16.-There
seems 10 be general complaint among the
passengers of the Hamburg American Line
steamer Patria. Captain F'rolich, which
caught fire off this port yesterday, while
on her way from New York, November 4,
Tor Hamburg that they We're kept in igno-
rance Of the outbreak of the fire for about
five hours. The passengers, who were
landed here. assert that if they had been
notified in time all their baggage could
nave been saved. y saloon passenger says.
The passengers were not informed of
the fire until IL o'clock Wednesday morn
ing. and there Is good reason to believe
that the officers knew of the outbreak of
the fire at in the morning l was stand
ing on deck, saw smoke curling up behind
my companions The officers then ordered
all on deck, putting the women and chill
dren in the boats first. They were safely
lowered"
The passengers leave here this afternoon
for Southampton. when they will embark
on board the Kaiser Frederick for Ham
burg.
NEW YORK. November 16-Emil L..
Boas Of the Hamburg American Line this
morning received a cablegram which read:
Patria In North sea, aflame stem to
stern, spontaneous combustion linseed.
Passengers safe on Ceres. Athesia along
Kaiser Frederick will transport passengers
to Hamburg"
n dispatch from London last night says:
The Hamburg-American steamer Patria.
Capt Frolich. which left New York No
vemher for Hamburg and passed the Liz
ard Yesterday, is on fire near Dover All
the passengers were rescued and have ar
rived at Dover.
Russian oh cd
Pdtrla, showing signals of Distress and de-
mandng immediate help, about twelve
miles from North Hinder iightship The
liner was enveloped in smoke. Putting on
full steam, the Ceres soon reached the Pa
trta, and, sending boat learned that Capt.
Frolich was in urgent need of assistance.
The boats Were got out. and with great
difficulty all the Patria's passengers, num-
bertuS LOO, were transferred to the Ceres,
which proceeded for Dover, where she ar
rived just before midnight.
According TO interviews with some of the
passengers, which elected the fact that
most OF them are American citizens who
have come for a vacation in Europe. all
were ordered on deck a q clock WedneS-
day morning, when they were informed
that q disastrous fire had broken out among
the general cargo. and, as the crew were
unable to master II. the captain said he
considered il adviSa BILE for the passengers
to take 10 the boats.
Smoke and flames We're ascending with
oVerpowerlng force aud causing the great
est alarm. The crew, according to several
passengers. worked like heroes in their en-
deavOrs to keep the flames under. but the
great quantity of l!nsesd among the cargo
and the oil supplied by this made all their
efforts hopeless.
The boats were promptly got over the
side, the crew working as If they were at
drill. The safety of the ladies and the chill
dren was The first consideration. As the
fire had by this time consumed the greater
part Of the passengers belongings they had
to get into the boats as they had come up
from their hunks, and some were in very
light raimtnt.
Although everything was carried out un-
der the most trying conditions, thanks to
the great cpoiness Of the captain and the
crew, there was no panic. all of the passen-
gers being gotten into the boats and into
two fishing boats said 70 belong to Var
mouth, which had come up in the mean
time.
Just as this had been effected large
steamer was seen to be making toward the
burning liner. She proved to be the Ceres
which first sent a boat, and then picked
up all the Patria's passengers. The Ceres
offered also to take off Capt. Frolich
and the crew. but the latter preferred
to remain by the vessel so long as
there was any chance Of saving her, al
though there was the greatest danger in
doing so. her hull being red hot at the time,
and there being every evidence that she
would burn Tor considerable period.
The passengers say they learned from the
officers that Capt. Frolich hopes to put his
steamer ashore at some point on the coast,
where there will be a possibility Of saving
her. The scheme Is a bold one, and does
credit to gallant crew, and which, 1t Is
hoped, may be successful.
The passengers. who had had nothing to
eat since T:3O Wednesday morning, were
treated with the greatest kindness on be-
ing landed at Dover. Among them We're
twenty-four ladies and about twenty chill
dren. who looked very wretcbed as they
landed at the admiralty pier. The crew Of
the liner Is said to consist chiefly of Ameri-
cans.