Omaha daily bee., 1902-03-31
STEAMER ANCHORED AFIRE
Pretoria is Rushed Co Landing and
Passengers Take Refuge I'm
LifebOats.

NEW YORK. March S0.-The steamer
Pretoria OF the Quebec ,ine returned to this
port tonight with B;ss 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 fireboats 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 it will
proceed on its voyage to Liverpool.
Pretoria left this port Saturday afternoon,
bound for Haliton. Bermuda. with Captain
Mckenzie in command At midnight smoke
was seen coming 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 we're put in condition for hasty low
ering and we're stocked with provisions. At
this time the vessel was 100 miles south Of
Sandy HOOK At O'Clock in the morning
Sunday the captain saw that the flames In
the hold were making heRdway 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 O'Clock the steamer Nordland came
in sight. It was bound from Philadelphia
to Liverpool Pretoria signaled It and IL
was soon alongside. While Nordland lay
close by Captain Mckenzie began a thor
ough search of the hold 60 ascertain where
the fire was. He found that the shipment
of hay in the front compartment was blaz-
ing quite fiercely, and what accentuated the
danger was that the next compartment was
loaded with petroleum. Captain Mckenzie
hap tn fu
had remained quiet. Captain Mckenzie
went in hig gig to consult Captain Doxrud
OF Nordland Soon after the passengers
were transferred in heAllfeboats and both
vessels came on to New York. When on
Tompkinsville an officer was sent ashore
and the fireboats were summoned.
The passengers of Pretoria spoke very
highly of the treatment accorded them by
the captain and crew Of Nordland. 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 Il, 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 were
transferred at sea to the Nordland the wind
was blowing strongly aud there was
heavy sea running. In spite Of this the
transference was safely accomplished and
all the passengers behaved admirably. Two
of the city's fireboats late tonight were as
ssting the crew in trying TO drown out the
hre
Pretoria is one of the fnest boats belong
ing to the fleet Of the quebec Steamship
company. For many yea it has been in
the company's Bermuda- New York service,
and was great favorit' Of the American
tourists who spend tha---wLnters at the
popular sea Island resort. "a.