Omaha daily bee., 1899-11-16
Flames Seize Upon the Hamburg. American
Liner Patria.
FIRE BREAKS OUT IN THE SHIPS HOLD
Large Amount Of Linseed Makes Oil to Feed
the Flames.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PASSENGERS
All Are Rescued in scanty Attire and Safely
Landed at Dover.
NE HUNDRED AND FIFTY PASSENGERS
RUSSIAN SHIP CERES COMES TO RESCUE
Captain and Crew Remain by the
Wreck Hoping to Run IL Ashore
Passengers Mostly Amcri-
cans on Vacations.

Dlegram-SpeClal Telegram. )-lne SleaHl-
ship Patria of the Hamburg American line
caught fire in the channel yesterday as 1t
was proceeding into the North sea on its
voyage from New York to Hamburg. 1t was
sighted by the Russian steamer Ceres about
twelve miles from the North Hinder light
ship. The Patria was then showing signals
of distress and asking for immediate help.
In addition to this the captain of the Ceres
saw it was enveloped in smoke and knew the
ship was on fire.
The Ceres put on full steam and made for
the burning vessel. On reaching 1t boat
was lowered and sent to the Patria, the cap
tain of which stated he was in urgent need
of assistance. He requested that the pas
sengers should be saved. The boats were
got out and with a great deal of difficulty
all the passengers, numbering about l5O,
were transferred to the Ceres The Ceres,
which was proceeding down the channel,
made for Dover, which was reached shortly
before midnight. Information Of the disaster
was sent ashore to American Consul Pres
colt, who made arrangements at the Dover
Sailors Home and local hotels in the neigh
borhood of the pier. Prescott Immediately
consulted the Dover harbormaster, Captain
Iron, who at once sent the harbor tug Lady
Vita to land the passengers from the Ceres.
Most Of the hotels were full, but in every
case arrangements were improvised for the
reception Of the shipwrecked.
1t was midnight when the tug returned to
the admiralty pier with the rescued on board.
They literally swarmed over the tug and
looked motley crowd Of men, women and
children crowded together, both on the Ceres
and the tug. There were twenty four women
in the party and twenty children, six being
babies in arms
Work of Rescue.
That the work of rescue from the Patria
was done in frlghtful haste is shown by
most of the poor creatures, who were
wrapped in blankets. All the passengers
abandoned the liner without their clothes
and in desperate haste. The utmost as
sistance was rendered by the staff connected
with the channel mail boats and the ship
wrecked people were got with all prompti-
tude to the Sailors home and to the various
hotels in the neighborhood, where every
thing possible for their comfort was i'm
mediately done.
The Patra left New York November
with $50 passengers and a crew of 11S.
They experienced rough weather in the At
lantio but otherwise all went well until
they had got through the channel and were
congratuating themselves on having got
to the end OF their voyage Most of the
passengers were American citizens whose
friends reside in Germany, Norway and
Sweden, mostly coming over for the holi-
days with the intention of returning to
America in few weeks.
About o'clock yesterday morning they
wore awakened and ordered to go on deck,
where they learned that a disastrous fire
had broken out amongst tho general cargo
,ahI IN
the captain stated that he considered it
advisable for them to take to the boats
1T was evident at this time that the fire
had obtained thorough hold of the cargo
smoke and flames ascending with overpow
ering force and causing the greatest alarm
The crew stated that several passengers
worked like heroes to keep the flames under
control, but great quantity OF linseed was
amongst the cargo and the oil supplied by
this made all efforts hopeless. There was
great excitement amongst the women and
children but the example set by the coolness
OF the captain and crew had an effect upon
the passengers generally. The boats were
promptly got over the side, the crew acting
as II at drills The safety of the women
and children was the first consideration
As the fire had consumed by this time the
greater part OF the passengers belongings
come up from their hunks and some were
in very light clothing.
Many Touching Scenes.
The scene was a very striking one and
some touching scenes were witnessed as
husbands parted from wives and children
although everything was carried out under
the most trying circumstances thanks to
the great coolness of Captain Frohlich and
the crew, there was no panic, which resulted
in all the passengers being gotten into
the boats and into two fishing boats which
it Is stated belong to Yarmouth which
had come up in the meantime.
Just at this time a large steamer was
observed to be making toward the burning
liner, which proved to be the Ceres, This
ship first sent boat and then picked up all
those who were in the boats and offered to
take OFF the captain and crew, but the
latter preferred 10 remain by the vessel
whilst there was any chance OF saving 1t,
although there was the greatest danger
in doing so the hull being redhot at the time
and there was every evidence that 1t would
burn for some considerable time.
The passengers state they learned from
the officers that Captain Frohlich hopes to
put his steamer ashore at some point on
the coast where there will be a possibility
OF afterwards salving II. The scheme is
a bold one, that does credit to the gallant
crew and 1t is hoped 1t may be successful.
The passengers state that as they came
away on the Ceres they saw another steamer
standing by the Patria. The passengers,
who had had nothing to eat since 1880 yes
terday morning. We're treated with the
greatest Kindness on being landed at Dover.
Mostly second Cabin Passengers.
NEW YORK, Nov 15.-Emil Boaz. gen.
eral manager of the Hamburg American line,
when told OF the Patrla's misfortune said:
1.-The Patria carried only second-class pas
sengers and steerage. II may have had
about fifty people in the steerage We do
not know what it's cargo was worth. as We
never inquire about that. 1t had about 10-
900 tons measurement Of cargo, including