Omaha daily bee., 1902-04-01
STEAMER ANCHORED ATTIRE
Pretoria f. Rushed to Landing and
Passengers Take Refuge in


NEW YORK, March 31.-The steamer
Pretoria Of the Quebec line returned to this
port tonight with fire in its forward hold
Its passengers came in a short time previ-
ously on the steamer Nordland Of the Amer
lean line, having been transferred at sea.
Pretoria is anchored at Tompkinsville
the hreboats from the city were dispatched
as soon as the news of the fire was received,
Nordland is anchored at quarantine and
the passengers taken from Pretoria will be
landed in the morning, after which 1t will
proceed on it's voyage to Liverpool.
Pretoria left this port Saturday afternoon,
bound for Haliton. Bermuda, with Captain
Mckenzie in command. At midnight smoke
was seen omIng out OF the forward hold.
The fire could not exactly be located. The
engines we're stopped and Captain McKen-
zie got ready for any emergency. The life
boats were put in condition for hasty low
ering and were stocked with provisions. At
this time the vessel was 100 miles south OF
Sandy Hook. At 6 o'clock in the morning
Sunday the captain saw that the flames In
the hold were making Roadway against the
streams Of water which the crew was pour
ing into the compartment. This determined
him to head his vessel for New York.
At 9 o'clock the steamer Nordland came
IN SlBnl. II was DOuuu lIOh EullduClpuld
to Liverpool. Pretoria signaled 1t and IL
was soon alongside. While Nordland lay
close by Captain Mckenzie began a thor
ough search Of the hold to ascertain where
the FIRE was. He found that the shipment
of hay in the front compartment was blaz-
ing quite f~ercely, and what accentuated the
danger was that the next compartment was
loaded with petroleum. Captain Mckenzie
then decided to remove his passengers. who
had remained quiet. Captain Mckenzie
went in hig gig to consult Captain Doxrud
OF Nordland. Soon after the passengers
were transferred in the lifeboats and both
vessels came on to New York. When on
Tompkinsville an officer was sent ashore
and the freboats were summoned.
The passengers OF Pretoria spoke very
highly of the treatment accorded them by
the captain and crew OF Nordland. A coll
lection was taken up among the passengers
OF Pretoria for the officers and men who
manned the lifeboats.
Nordland anchored in quarantine and
Captain Doxrud ~telephoned to Mr.. Wright
Of the American line, who told the captain
to take his vessel to pier IA, North river,
and land the passengers OF Pretoria there.
Pretoria had on board twenty-eight first
cabin passengers, ten in the second cabin
and nineteen in the steerage. The officers
say that at the time the passengers we're
transferred at sea to the Nordland the wind
was blowing strongly and there was a
heavy sea running. In spite OF this the
transference was safely accomplished and
all the passengers behaved admirably. Two
Of the city's freboats late tonight were as
sisting the crew in trying to drown out the
Gre.
Pretoria is one Of the finest boats belong
ing to the feet Of the Quebec Steamship
company. For many years 1t has been in
the company's Bermuda-New York service,
and was a great ~fayorite OF the American
tourists who spend their winters at the
popular sea island resort.