The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-26
VESSEL BURNS
AND OVER 100
PERSONS DEAD
Passenger Steamer Sardinia
Catches Fire Off the
Island of Malta.
NAPHTHA IN FORE HOLD
FED FIERCE FLAMES
VICTIMS JUMPED INTO SEA OR
WERE ROASTED = HEAVY
GALE PREVENTED RESCUE.

VaIetta, Island of Malta. Nov. Pa
terrible disaster, in which more than 100
persons lost their lives, occurred at the
entrance 70 this port this morning,
within sight of the whole city, which
was powerless to give aid. The British
steamer Sardinia OF the Ellerman line,
hailing from Liverpool and bound for
Alexandria, with a crew of forty-four
Englishmer, eleven first and six sec
ond-cabin English passengers and near
ly 200 Arab pilgrims aboard, caught fire
and within few minutes was a roaring
furnace surrounded by clouds of smoke
through which flames burst upward to
a height Of 200 feet from the explosions
I'm the hold. So rapidly did the fire
spread that the frantic efforts of the
crew 10 operate the fire apparatus
proved useless, and il seemed but mo-
ment before the upper works and masts
crashed down upon the defk, while the
ships boats We're crushed by the fall
ine debris or quickly burned.
Many 6urned; Others Drowned.
Safety lay in jumping overheard and
taking chances of being picked up. As
sistance was hurried to the burning YES
sci from all the warships I'm the harbor
and from the shore, but the work of
rescue was greatly impeded by the
strong TIDE that was running Even the
naval launches, which came as fast as
they could be driven. We're unable to go
alongside. Among the Arabs there was
panic that could not be controlled.
Many or them were too terrified TO
jump, and they were burned to death.
others, casting themselves into the
waves, were drowned.
The crew behaved with adDoira HE
courage, serving out life-preservers to
the last and working the pumps. When
these became useless. Captain Litter
commander Of the ship. toek the helm
and directed his ship towarsJ-the shore
as long as il could be navfgated. He
persisted at his post.
Seventy Persons Rescued.
First Officer Frank Watson all three
engineers. Seagraves, Hislop and Neil
eighteen Of the ships company and two
hrst-elass passengers. one of them a
boy named Grant, are missing. Fifty
or more bodies have been recovered. and
seventy persons rescued Ii is iu,possi
ole a. present 10 say Just how many
were drowned or burned to death. be-
cause the list of Arab pilgrims is in
complete. but the number viii doubtless
far exceed 100.
After the vessel refused to obey her
helm she drifted around three times
ana finally was beached broadside on
the rocks at the mouth of the hatbor
she IS still burning. and win be a total
loss. q '0'e'i
Inc British vice admiral. Sir Ashton
Z Howe. and Admiral Fisher directed
me 'esculng boats. Captain LittIer's
Dody' terribly mutilated. was landed
lhis afternoon in the presence of large
crowds which stood uncovered Tbe
other bodies were also r,,,+iIstsd -
burned. one Of the rescued passengers
gave a graphic account of The disa ster
Flames Spread Rapidly.
The Sardania.' he said. left vaIetta'
d. S,+o TINS morning We were lust
outside the harbor and the crew were
securing the anchor when the cry of fire
was heard Flames could be seen issu-
--s from the port side. A hose was
Empty brought up and a stream
poured down the ventilator from which
lne flames were issuing. but this did no
Nooo- In less than ten minutes flames
ere streaming out Of the other venti-
LUIS me whole vessel amidships was
Nlopped 10 flames. The Arab Dassen
SO We're told to leave the hatch. 10
5lIvu Ihey chung desperately. but they
vLuseo 20 move. All who remained for
|aIu persisted except those who Ieaped
INTO the Wtaer.
IN the meantime naval pinnacles
NI-leu 20 the scene. They could not
approach close on account of the high
seas and falling sparS. The F,uronean
l'dsSNh gers, being aft, were in COMPARE
i've safety and the great majority of
'HeSe eventually succeeded in reaching
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