Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-17
BRAVERY IN DANGER
Captain and Grew of the Steamer Patria
Acquit Themselves Nobly.
FIRST THOUGHT IS FOR PASSENGERS
Safety of Lives Iutruste1 to Their Charge
Occupies Their Minds.
WONDERFUL DISCIPLINE OF THE CREW
After Landing All Passengers Safely They
Go Back to Burning Ship,
DISCIPLINE OF THE CREW
MANY PATHETIC SCENES ARE ENACTED
Under the Intelligent Direction of
the Commander All Are Taken
Ashore without Mishnp, but
Lose Their BelonginSs.

Copyright 1899, by Press Publishing CoD
LONDON, Nov. 16.-(New York World
Cablegram-Special Telegram )-Some thrill
ing narratives were told today of the loss OF
the Patria to the Worlds correspondent at
Dover, all of which go to show that Com
mander Frohlich and his crew acted with
remarkable bravery and coolness
Among the passengers was l.. Duplacc,
German consul at Porto Rico, who was trav-
cling to Germany accompanied by his wife.
The shock had such serious effect that he
died at the Harp hotel The first class pas
sengers, almost without exception, lost
everything except what they stood up in.
Some were without Jackets and hats and one
old woman. who suffered very much from
her trying experiences, was shoeless. S T.
Cowden of Laughlin, N. j., on his way to
Germany to study for professorship. said:
"The first intimation of there being any
thing wrong was conveyed to the passengers
about o'clock yesterday morning when they
were called up. noticed smoke proceeding
from the direction of the engine room amid
ships. 1t was still hoped that the fire might
not be of n very serious character and the
captain thought he might be able to reach
Hamburg. At about O'Clock at night tho
fire was gaining rapidly on the ship and
emoke was ascending in dense black vol
tines. The fire appeared to have originated
amidships and extended to the forepart. |
could sec flames issuing from the hold. The
iron deck and sides became intensely hot.
The vessel was heavily laden. drawing
twenty nine feet of water. The discipline of
the crew was magnificent all through"
Compliments for the Crew.
Hugo La Chenicht of San Francisco speak
ing of the conduct of the crew, said:
81 never saw a braver lot Of men. Captain
Frohlch earned our warmest gratitude. He
never left the bridge. Both he and the Of
ficers endeavored to cheer up the passen-
gers. When l last saw the captain he
was standing on the bridge, enveloped in
smoke, which rolled along the vessel in
thick clouds, enough to suffocate us. In
the midst of these exciting circumstances
heard him call for his pipe. Owing to
the flames and smoke we were told we
had better leave the ship. The boats were
lowered at II o'clock. None we're allowed
to get into the boats without permission
from the captain or officers. The order
went forth from the captain that the women
and children should go first This order
was obeyed to the letter. Not a single
attempt made to contravene 1t. Owing
TO this order some terribly pathetic scenes
were witnessed men parted from their
wives and children. touching scene was
witnessed as the fire continued to gain
upon the ship and the boats were about
to leave-some Polish passengers, men and
women, going down on their knees, praying
and crying. Fortunately the sea was not
very rough. Most Of the passengers, acting
under the noble example of the captain and
officers, controlled their feelings, but the
scene was one of intense excitement. One
poor woman had three little children cling
ing to her and it was with the utmost diff
tlculty that she could be persuaded that her
greatest hope for safety lay in taking to
the boats"
Heat in Terrific.
Ernest Unk of Third avenue New York,
said: Many of us tried to get our trunks
and belongings but found it utterly impos-
sible owing to the volumes of smoke that
filled every part of the ship. The heat was
terrific, Twenty four hours previous to the
outbreak of the fire the officers suspected
there was fire in the ships hold, but moth
ing was said to the passengers, as the cap
tain hoped to get to Hamburg before the
fire assumed serious dimensions. The Patra
was transporting from America sixteen valu-
able race horses in the forepart of the ship
All were suffocated and burned to death
They were splendid creatures. The greatest
regret was felt board, but nothing could
be done to rescue them. The cause of the
fire was unknown, but 1t Is supposed that
1t originated from overheating in the hold"
Charles Bramm, cabin passenger from New
York, said: "There were altogether eighteen
lifeboats on the Patria, of which seven were
launched, in each case with twenty eight
passengers, the only exception being the
boat l was in. Two crews were sent in
charge. There were sixteen passengers in
our boat, all men. We got away from the
ship before the sailors got into the boat
The captain instructed us to keep off from
the burning liner. We rowed about for
an hour and a half when we were picked up
by a Ramsgate fishing smack from Adcu
Captain Adams They took our boat in tow
and treated us with such kindness as we shall
never forget. The Patria fired guns and
used other signals of distress, which were
the means Of bringing assistance to u.s.
showing the high state of discipline among
the crew When we were rescued the sea
men in the boats absolutely refused to come
with US, stating their duty was to go back
to the ship with the captain. They went
Many passengers were not sufficiently
clothed. The captain of the Ceres, the Rus
sian vessel, had sail spread over the decks
for the people to get under"