New-York tribune., 1900-07-02

two feet square. To the horror of everv one
1hey found it only opened into a coal bunker.
The flap of the cargo port was raised up. but
nobody ventured inside Of the vessel to find the
opening between the cargo port and the pas
Sthger space where the clinging
shortly afterward the man from heat and ex-
nauStIon fell back inside Of the ship either dead
or In faint.
l then urged that one or two OF the heavier
IuSpoats back off and ram the ships side with
al Iofce and try 10 break in the iron plating.
"nch was nearly half inch thick The cap
tains Of the tugs demurred at this however
itdFlng mat their boats might be injured and
that nothing could be accomplished thereby
IN the mean time nearly all the passengers at
the air ports seemed to have succumbed to the
neat 1t was an awful sight
rms big ocean liner, which had been cast
auTIIt Hoin her moorings when the fire started.
had noated far down stream, and just
ABREAST OF Governors Island. Great flashes Of
paint, nearly yard square that had been
loosened by the heat from the interior of the
vessel, fell in blazing masses into the water.
IhoSe on board Of the tugboats were scorChed,
put al We're working like beavers and seemed
utterly unconscious Of the terrible heat.
PORTFOLIOS TOO SMALL
The most cruel part Of it all seemed 10 be that
had the portfolios been few inches wider every
person would have escaped. 1t is a common
practice IN the engineering profession to make
WhaI are known as manhOles and manhOle
plates, II by 13 inches. in the shape Of ovals,
through which an ordinary man OF two hundred
IataI ship which are only eight or ten inches in
diameter, are an abOminariOn, and the great
PHmsOL. Of England, when he made the cargo
marks on the ships side might we'll have found
the means Of making all headlights large
enough 70 permit the escape of passengers.
When we pushed the boat alongside of the
vessel 1 proposed to pass a rope under the
womans shoulder and around her neck. making
the other end fast 10 the bits Of the tug, and
back astern, in the hope of drawing the woman
through the tiny aperture The men on the
other boats shook their heads at the idea, say
ing that in so doing the woman would be horribly
mangled, and besides il was Impossible to make
her understand our Intentions
am happy TO say that the German officers
with the boats crew worked most diligently
under the intense heat, and were enabled TO
keep alongside only when gallons of water were
poured them In fact the greatest credit is
due to all who tried to rescue those poor
wretChes in that roaring furnace. The people on
board the tugs seemed alive 10 the occasion. but
little did they realize the task before them.
Men with ordinary tried 10 cut holes in
the iron plates, which everywhere We're at least
half inch thick Others. with sledges, bat
tered III the portfolios, thus either shutting OFF
the only means We had OF pouring water into
the vessel or else enlarging the holes so as TO
force in draught which only added 10 the fury
OF the flames
While no one lost his head. yet the excitement
intense Captain Seabury, divested' OF hat
coat and vest. walked about. giving an order
here and a direction there, but 10 no avail. In
all my experience, and I have seen many
strange sights and many curious encounters I
have never seen anything like the horrible affair
that I Witnessed yesterday.