The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1899-11-22
FIRE AT SEA.
Burning Of the American.Ham
burg Liner Patria.
ALL THE PASSENGERS SAVED

ALL THE PASSENGERS SAVED
They Lost All Their Baggage and
Many Of Them Was En-
veIoped in Blankets
Only.
a dispatch from London says the
Hamburg American steamer Patria.
Captain Frohlioh, t.,hich left New York
Nov 4, for Hamburg and passed the
Lizard Wednesday, is on fire near
Dover. All tho passengers were res
cucd and have arrived at Dover. The
Russian steamer Ceres sighted the
Patria, showing signals Of distress, and
demanding immediate help, about II
miles from North Hinder lightsbip.
The liner was cnvclopcd in smoke.
Putting on full steam the Ceres soon
reached the Pa,ria and sending a boat
learned that Captain Frohlich was ia
urgent nccd Of assistance. Tho hurry
Of tho rescue was indicated by tho fact
that most Of the passengers Scre en-
ycloped in blankets only. They were
+, rapidly distributed among the hotols or
sent to the Sailors home, and every
thing possible is being done for their
comfort.
a lady passenger gives the following
account ct tho fire and tho escape of
| the passengers, which numbered one
hundred and fifty, aud included many
women and children:
1T was about half-past 10 yesterday
morning. the weather boing calm and
| fine and several of us being seated in
tho dock saloon when suddenly Capt.
Frohlich appeared and shouted: All
passengers on deckE Everybody start
cd forward with rush 'Wo are atirc,'
said tho captain, but there is no
DANCER. Don't get excited
Just then smoke began to pour out
through the dock near the smokcstaoks.
My sick husband was in his cabin and
undrcsscd. | hurried to him and began
to dress him, when in came the steward
shouting get out Of this quick. Ho
took my husband by the feet and I
supported his head. We started to
carry him to tho deck, but the smoke
chokcd us and the water from the fire
hose swishcd around our knees.
feared that all was lost; but going
backward through another passage, we
managed to reach tho deck in safety.
There all the passengers were crowded
together. Thick clouds of smoke were
blowing oycr tho whole ship and dis.
tress signals wcrc flying. One passcn.
ger, WHO had hastily como from the
.bathroo(s appeared with scarcely any
.clothinsl Others found themselves
equally dnprepared. The captain told
us that he was lowering the boats as a
precaution. So we lined up. Women
and childron first shouted the captain,
who was standing near Iae. I replicd
hat | supposed I would have to wait
Tor the mems turn as | could not leave
my helpless husband. Capt Frohlich
answered mo by lifting my husband,
placing him in the bottom of one of
the boats, ordering mo to follow aud
telling the steward to 60 with us. Our
boat was the first lowered.
We wcrc all terribly frightened, but
though few cried, there was no dis
order. Tho officers and crew did all
they could and encouraged us to be
brave and COOL While one boat was
being lowered, the bottom began to
| give way. The women screamed and
Tor moment it seemed as if the bot
tom would drop out; but the boat was
quickly hauled back. Another boat
had no crow, tho passengers doing the
rowing.
Meanwhile some fishing smacks had
| onlDn un and couoro1 ,,oo,o,uo,,. l.
cd thom, but Capt. Frohlich beloved
through tho smoke that no one must
leave the Patria's boats, so they left
tho smacks. From this order We in
fcrrod that. tho sailors, who wore work
ing ccasclessly, hoped to put out the
fire. For more than an hour we lay
olongside the liner, now hot and smoke
covered, cindcrs and debris falling over
out boats. Through the fire we occa.
sionally caught sight Of Capt, Frohlich,
on the bridge while lie divided his at
tcntion between giving orders to the
crew and Joking with US. Once ho
shouted laughingly: The fire is in my
cabin. Now | cant get my pipe, and
you all know | can't do anything with
out my pipe
'Then the Ceres came up and her
captain sang out; Your ships afire.
Shall | take your passcngors?' Fright.
encd as wc were VIC laughed. Capt.
Frohlich made the Ceres promise to
take us to Dover, and then our boats
pulled over to her, and wc were takon
aboard. The last we saw Of the Patria
she was just mass Of smoke and going
slowly toward Hamburg. Many Of us
had to pay for what little wo could get
70 cat on board tho Cores. At Dover
everybody was very kind.
III the captain had put us ashore as
soon as the ti:o was discovered, We
would not have lost our belongings, nor
boon exposed to such danger"
/ M A Hisl 1f.,ll ------