Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1906-03-21
ONLY one LOST IN FIRE.
ATLANTA OF TIL GOODRICH LINE
BURNS TO WATERS EDGE OFF
PORT WASHINGTON.
SIXTY-TWO ARE SAFE.
Flames Start in Hold and Vessel Tries
to Race for Shore-BeatS and
Tug Aid.

steamer Niagara burned forty years age
with a loss of 250 lives, the Goodrich
steamer Atlanta was burned to the wa
ter's edge near this port Sunday after
noon, and the hulk of the vessel is now
on the beach near this city. She was
on her way from Sheboygan to Milwau-
kee
OF siXty-three people who were on
board of the Atlanta when the fire
started sixty-two are safe on land. Only
one, Michael Hickey. a deckhand. died,
He fell overheard after leaping from the
hurricane deck and breaking both or MS
legs. The steamer was valued at Sl5O,-
900 and the cargo was worth perhaps
$4,000 more. All this is a total loss
Thrilling Rescue of Cook.
One thrilling rescue marked the acct
dent, and chain of most fortunate CIR
cumstances prevented one OF the, worst
disasters that could happen in the history
of Lake Michigan's navigation. Charles
kliene, q deckhand of the tug TeSsler,
which reached the Atlanta's lite boats
and the burning vessel itself, heard the
cries of negro cook on board her. lie
clambered from the tug to the deck OF
the burning vessel and lowered rope
to the cook. Flames and smoke often
hid the heroic sailor from the view OF
those in the tug, but finally 1T was seen
that the cook was being dragged TO
safety through a porth ole. Both made
their way to the tug without harm.
Story of the Rescue.
With the hold mass of flames, which
were discovered just before the noon
hour, the Atlanta made for shore, while
the fire gained Roadway at awful speed
and those on board cried frantIcally tor
relief. Land was but a short distance
away, comparatively, but even Capt.
McCauley, who remained cool and pre-
vented a disastrous panic, knew that the
Atlanta could not be run on shore IN
time to save those on board. Orders
were heard through the maze Of cries to
lower the lifeboats Three Of them We're
hardly on the waves when the fourth
began to burn hercely.
Then someone saw small vessel head
ing from land toward the burning boat.
The news spread rapidly among the en-
dangered people and restored them to
calm for sufficiently long time to pre-
vent panic from being giving full play
Tug Saves All but One.
The boat coming to the rescue was
then two minutes time away. Very soon
it proved that she was the tug Tessler
every human being Oh board save one
who had fallen overheard and then made
for Port Washington. The fight for life
had lasted over two hours.
The day was clear and a southeasterly
wind was blowing, but there was no
sea. These fortunate condolences
doubtless prevented q disaster. Men on
the harbor crib at Port Washington
plainly saw the steamer was On fire and
spread the news. Meanwhile the tug
Tessler, which was picking up nets but
a short distance from the Atlanta, also
observed the fire. The rescue was COM
pleted with little or no danger owing to
the condition of the waters surface.
Georgia Reaches the Scene.
Just as the crew and passengers were
being lowered into the lifeboats of the
Atlanta, under direction of the captain
and his mates, the sister steamer Of the
Atlanta, the Georgia, from Milwaukee,
hove into sight. Instead of waiting for
the Georgia to come and relieve the life
boats of their burden, the occupants
of the small boats were transferred to
the fishing tug Tester, owned by Smith
Bros. of Port Washington.
While the flames from the Atlanta
were rising high, the Georgia came to
the scene of what might have been the
worst lake disaster in years. The sur
yiyors on board the tug were transferred
to the Georgia and brought back to this
city.
The Atlanta was commanded by Capt.
McCauley, who stands high with the
George Shines and the chief engineer
was Joseph Predka. None of the Off
GERS cared to make a statement as to the
cause of the fire.
Passenger List Is Lost.
1--WE all lost our personal belongings of
every kind" said the captain THE
clothes | have on are the only ones |
now possess Even the ships papers
were destroyed in the fire. The passen-
ger list went up in the flames and | am
unable to remember the names of the
three we had on board 1t is q peculiar
coincidence that the crew had just fin
ished the daily fire drill when the watch
man and cabin guard discovered the fire
in the compound room of the steamer
The report reached me Immediately after
the discovery of the fire and | sounded
the alarm: The men were in their places
in q moment, but all they could do failed
to keep the flames in check. I did not
give the order to take to the lifeboats
until it was seen to be necessary in
order to save human lives
The Atlanta carried q large consign-
ment of freight from Sheboygan. consist
ing Of leather from the Badger State tan
merry and the tannery of the American
Hide and Leather company, furniture
from several of the local factories, and
pianos from the factory of the King
Piano company.
IhrlInng stories are told by the sur
yivors of the manner in which the crayx
fought the flames before it was finally
decided to leave the vessel. During al
most all that time the fishing tug Tess
Ter was within three miles lifting its nets.
Wind Destroys Distress Signals
The Atlanta was signaling for help.
but what wind there was took the sound
away from the tug and it was not until
it was noticed that the steamer seemed
to be in trouble that Capt. Smith of the
fishing tug decided to investigate Then
he saw that the steamer was apparently
whistlng, to judge from the jets of steam
from its pipes, and he buoyed the nets
and started for the burning vessel at full
speed.
Three minutes before the steamer was
reached there was a burst Of flames from
the big liner amidships, and the small
boats, which had previously been pre-
pared for lowering, were dropped to the
water.
Capt. Smith of the ing TessIpr told