The Cairo bulletin., 1906-09-28
PANIC WHEN SHIP
WAS FOUND TO
Be ON FIRE
CRAZED iMMl GRANTS HELD AT
BAY BY CREW ARMED
WITH REVOLVERS.
FLAMES EXTINCUISHED
After the Wild Mob Had Been Driven
Belcw-ThrIling Experience
On the Nord America in
Mdocean.

New York, Sept. 27.-For a day aud
a night the crew of the Veloca Line
| steamer Nord America fought tho
flames which had broken out in the
ships forward coal bunkers on her
last trip from Naples to New York,
which ended when, moke-begrimed
and manned by white-facad officers.
she crcpt into port today after one
of tie most thrilling struggles with
! fire a transatlantic l'ner has ever
pa sed through
Tae Nord America left Naples on
September II. In her steerage were
1913 passengers Her first cabin held
50 yoyagers For the first few days
out all went we'll and then when the
big vessel was tx days nearer the
United States the most dreadful Of all
sea perls broke out
The passengers had finished their
evening meal and were loling about
the deck enjoying the fine evening
whom from the yentilator of the for
ward coal bunker came a tiny blue
wisp of smoke The immigrants
thought nothing Of it, but it was a
gray-faccd engineer who reported 10
Capt Barbcri
Coal Bunkers AbIaze.
Without word to the passenger
the coal passers were put to work to
find where the flames we're eating
their way into the bunkers.
When they finally located ihe blaze
it was at once seen by the Officers
that they were face 10 face With a
bad fire. The coal had been loaded
damp, and the whole mass was aglow
with flames that needed only puff
of wind to fan them into destructive
fury The immigrants were ordcted
forward while the matches were taken
of in order that water might he
poured on the glowing Goals but
when the battcns were hammered off
and a dense cloud of yellow smoke
rolled ont a scream went up from
them
THE ship is on fire! We -haII die!
they screamed running to and fro
Women clutchcd their babies and hur
red 70 the rail. Then Il mans voice
called ITO the boats! Lower the
boats"
The crowd took It up. Wild-cye
men and women pressed forward
Some Of them welded knives. The
crew fought them back, but they
pressed with the strength of terror
To add TO the horrors # rhc situa-
tion the sea began TO rise Captain |
Barberi Jaw that a boat launched in /
such weather would have no chance /
revolycrs issued to the crew Then 4
nc stepped up TO W bridge aud 4
hailed the panic.-trickcn crowd Of /
You will he saved II YOU trust 10 +
us he said, "bui the first man who /
tres TO cut rope or TO rush the boat /
will be shot"
Panic Ay=5:ed.
The terrified crowd quieted down
as they listened and presently the /
crew uibNt lutiu btlDN. non Il /
ship company turLtG in and fought .
the fire with steam Il was stubborn
and several times II looked as if tho .
hip would have to ne abandoned. but /.
they stuck 10 their work aud at last
he smoldering mass of coal was eN-
iinguished
In the panic woman named Julia
p PZzamUnte. who was coming here 10
meet her husband died of hemo1rhage
caused by excitement as he fought
with the frenzied crowd at the boats
% save her four childrens lives.
The orphaned children range in age
from 10 to 2H years old The four
little pathetic figure 'old the immi
grafton officers that they were 10 be
met on their arrival by their IA her
Sauto. who lives in Brooklyn Lat
his afternoon the father had not put
N an appearance and the children
win De cared for on Ellis Island until
De- can be found " the immigration
jG cials ajlto di-cpvcr his where
ibout the children viii have io De-
cent back 10 Italy