New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-06
LEONA'S CARGO ABLAZE.
MALLORY LINER SUNK SOON AFTER
REACHING HER PIER.
FIREMEN HAVE TO SWIM TO sAFETY-FIRE
WAS IN COTTON. AND COULD NOT
BE CONTROLLED UNTIL UNDER

WAS IN COTTON. AND COULD NOT
BE CONTROLLED UNTIL UNDER
WATER PORTS WERE OPENED.
fre which had been smoudering several
days resulted last evening in the burning and
sinking Of the Mallory Line steamship Leona at
her pier. and endangered the lives of many fire
men.
About o'clock yesterday afternoon the
Leona. from Galveston. came up the East River
a almost full speed and was warped into her
deck at Pier % Her passengers and their be-
longngs were rapidly disembarked, but before
the last Of them had gone ashore one OF IN"
matches was opened. and burst If flame fol
lowed Within q short time the ship was on
fire. from the main hatch forward to the bow
The officers ANA sailors did quick work IN get
ting the fire apparatus into play, but their el-
fcrts were found t. be futile and an alarm was
sent out. Deputy Chief Duane was soon on the
scene and he ordered a second, and then n thlrd
alarm. The engines responded quickly. ana
within a short time ten streams were playing
from them. ana six from the hreboats New-
Yorker. Van Wyck and Zophar Mills The IRE
racn had especial difficulty in getting at the
flames for the reason that the ship had come
into her dock stern foremost thus leaving 'he
rart in flames hard t. reach Tie hose from the
engines We're taken down the pier and thence
10 the vessel. the streams being played from the
port side. while the nrcboats played from her
bow and on the starboard side.
SMOKE BATTLES TIREMEN.
The fire was at first confined to forward OF
the foremost but when the hatches were en-
tircly removed tremendous volume Of smoke
came upward making it impossible for the fire.
men to do anything but work by guess Soon
after the third alarm Chief Croker arrived and
took personal command.
Soon tons Of water were pouring into the vos-
sci and the ship began To list to starboaId'
settling little as she did SO. At this time. u
o'clock about seventy hremen, with the chief,
deputy chief and Chaplain william Smith. were
on the boat working TO keep the fire from
spreading toward the stern. It was found to be
beyond the efforts Of the frcmen. and an order
was given to open the fore and aft portfolios
in order to allow the water to enter and make
her settle.
The fremen still worked on the vessel un-
mindful Of the imminent danger Of drowning
Chief Croker ordered the men 10 leave work as
soon as they thought it necessary, but no
one moved until the CHIEF demanded that they
all leave Immediately. About half a dozen men
who were on the starboard side Of the boat
were unable to get 10 the pier, and kept right
on working until the ship began 10 sink, AID.
with a final list went down. The men were
thrown into the water. but men from the New
Yorker quickly rescued them and they were all
dragged board
CHIEF DUANE'S MARROW ESCAPE.
Deputy chief Duane and Fireman Thomas
Mcfarland Of Engine so. T.. had to battle for
life and We're rescued with difficulty. Chief
Duane was dragged on board more dead than
alive With the assistance Of Chaplain Smith
and some of the nremen he was revived and
was taken home. Mcfarland soon revived
and resumed work. The other men who were
thrown into the water were Firemen Peter
Cahiu Charles Bass and William Finger, OF
Engine 40. r. and Foreman Thomas McKIer-
nan. Of Engine No TO-
In the excitement chief Croker fell against
beam and badly bruised himself. In the sinking
Of The boat the New Yorker. being mOOred TO
the Leona was unable to get away When the
LeCua began 20 list her rigging, which would
have hit the smokestack of the New-Yorker,
WAS hastily cut away with all other rigging
that could he reached In spite Of this the flag
staff on thc bow OF the NeW-Iorker and the
stan at the stern We're broken clean on. ana
the bow was scraped and splintered
The Leona sunk in about thirty feet OF water
on her starboard side. and was submerged TO
within three feet of her foremast Her entire
main deck was under wat or
Tho dren,eu ON the boats soon had their hose
,lat'ir,, into Nh. forward hatch again bat in
spife ~ the tons and toms of water poured IN
no hcadNay vas manifest.
The cargo. consisting of cotton and tobacco.
r,cs,i- of cotton estimated at eight thousand
balos vas ON fire throughout the vessel. from
The main hatchway. where it began. 10 the bow
- e." nat
AZ 40 o'clock a report which shook the deck
,i,ts f,r,.ard showed the presence Of gas and
nnroh,hi> no,rder i'm the forward hold Another
report canc after fifteen minute interval. and
a third In about ten minutes
49, abouf =. t. o'clock the flames were under
controi AZ tho main hatchNay. and tho entire
work Was confined - the forward hatcn.
These Vor" S" p''-lsteu' 'nd1 'm,I w. vnr
Yorker was kept pIayinc ON the boat all night
The cargo of tho vessel rarionsly "st,na''4 4h h.,
from S-'p,lJ' 10 >', ', oo,.1i,ion and the IRON
49,. go, a1,idshins 10 the bow are bent and