The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-10-06
STEAMER BURNED AND SUNK.
MALLORY LINER LEONA A WRECK
AT HER WHARF.

Caught Fire ut sea md Proceeded
at FuII spced-PnsSengerS Quickly
DiscmbarISed and the Fire Depart
menf CaIIed-IInrd Fight WAS Made
Hut Her Cargo Il "a Total Loss.
Cause of the Fire Is IA Mystery.
Insurance Not known.
Now York. oct. 5.--The Mallory Line
steamer Leona was burned aud sunk at
her wharf in East River tonight.
The cargo, consisting OF tobacco and
S0oo bales Of cotton, aud valued at $780,
600 to 100000, IS a total loss, and the dam
age 20 the boat is over $4,000.
II is believed that the Leona, which
sailed from Galveston Sept. 27 caught fire
at sea several days ago since which time
she had proceeded at fun speed. with bat-
tened hatches for this port.
At $3.50 this afternoon the Leona came
racing up East river to her pier. where
haste was made to debark the passengers
ana open the hatches An hour later am
army of men was vainly fighting a fire
in the steamers hold, Finally the ship
was seuttled.
AS soon as the Leona made fast to her
pier, about 4 o'clock the officers of the
vessel commanded by Capt Wilder, or
dered the members of the crew to try 10
put out the fire In the hold without callln,
the iire department. This was soon found
to be impossible, and an alarm was set in,
by $50 O'clock 10 streams were PLAYING
from fire engines, and streams from fire
boats
The hremen had a hard time in getting
at the flames, as the boat came into her
dock sternmost. leaving the burning por-
ton out IN the water The fire at first
was confined to the forward hatchwav.
directly forward of the foremast. The
hatches being lifted, tremendous volume
OF smoke came out, making Ii impossible
for the firemen to see
Had TO Sink Her.
Soon tons of water were pouring into the
doomed vessel, and the ship began to Asst
TO starboard. settling little as she did so.
AZ O'Clock about seventy hremen with
the chief and deputy chief were en- tie
boat working to keep the fire from apreaa-
ing toward the stern. / was found to be
beyond the efforts Of the firemen and an
order was given TO open the fore and aft
portfolios in order to allow the water to en-
ter and make her settle The water al-
ready pouring into the boat was managing
to run along the bilge keels until II had
reached aft and the ship showed evidence
Of listing TO starboard.
Most Of the firemen finally left The ship
by sliding down hose which was fasten-
ed to the wheel. About half a
dozen men who We're on the
starboard side Of the boat were unable
so get to the pier and kept on working
as II nothing was happening to endanger
their dives. They continued until the ship
was partially submerged beside her pier.
The men were thrown ints the water. Dep
uty Chief Duane and Fireman Thomas
MacFarlane of Engine II, had 10 battle
for life and were rescued with difficulty.
Several Of the frCboats engaged In The
work Of feseuiug the tiremen. were nearly
carried down by the sinking of the Leona.
AT 1880 O'Clock tonight a report that
shook the deck plates forward showed the
presence Of gas and possibly powder In
the forward hold. Another report came
about fifteen minutes later and a third in
about ten minutes The explosions were
not serious enough to cause a further in
flow OF water. AL about S15 o'clock the
flames were under control at the main
hatchway aud the entire work was confin-
ed 10 The forward hatch. The flames were
so persistent that they were not under con-
trol for long time and the New Yorker
was kept at the boat playing on her all
night.
Fire Was Mysterious.
The cause of the fire Ia a mystery The
boat left Galveston on Wednesday, Sept
"a. II was said by one OF the passengers
that three days ago The hatches were bat
tened down and upon questions being put
to Capt. Wilder. he said che cause was the
high seas. From that time the ship was
kept at full speed.
The passenger said that on several oc-
casions he had detected smoke, but had
not thought particularly about 1t. as the
captain said all was well. Capt. Wilber
denies that the ship was on fire at sea,
and the first he knew of the fire was when
the matches We're lifted to-day after ar
rival.
The insurance on the Leona is not
known Charles Mallory, head of the NAL
lory Line said tonight that he knew
nothing about the fire. He said that If the
boat caught fire az sea as reported, and
If Capt. WIlber had kept the fire under
control for two or three days. he deserved
credit for even bringing the boat into the
harbor
A somewhat similar experience befell
the ship IN 1898. On May she left New
York for her trip south, and the next
morning fire was discovered coming up
her hatchway from the hold. The fire
progressed and the City Of Augusta, which
was passing, was signaed for assistance.
She took the passengers and rendered all
the assistance possible.
Upon reaching this port Nav 10 IL
was found that thirteen steerage passen-
gers had been burned to death. They were
found in a blackened heap Ia the steer
age. AT that time Capt Wilber was sus-
pended for six months for supposed failure
to properly take care of the fire.
During the war with Spain the Leona
was used a United States transport.