New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-02-01
KORONA AFIRE AT SEA
DESPERATE FIGHT SAVES
QUEBEC LINER.
Cargo in Forzrard Hold Badly
Burned Blaze Broke Out Soon
After LeaUing st. Thomas.

encountered a few typhOOns that made her skip
per and Grew exceedingly anxious. but never IN
her history until the passage which ended yes-
terday. has she been on fire while her
captain lay unconscious on the deck
The Korona arrived early yesterday from ST
Thomas and other ports in the West Indiess
with a badly burned cargo in her forward hold.
and it was said that II her captain and his en-
tire crew had not made such desperate hghS
against fire that broke out in the steerag7
compartment forward on January % the KoronB
would certainly have burned to the water
edge
She left St Thomas on January g. the day
the White Star liner Republic was IN collision
off Nantucket. The passengers were delighted
because Of the fine weather that prevailed OF.
the run Of the first two days through the Carib-
bean. but their delight was suddenly converted
into fear when the steamer stopped suddenly
on January p at D. m. while supper was BE-
ing served in the dining saloon
The sudden cessation OF the throb OF the en-
gine was perceptible, and he passengers
swa-rned out on deck to find the reason and
were confronted with clouds Of smoke and tbs
hoarse shouts of mixed crew of coolies. half~i
breeds and negroes fighting their way down into
the burning hold forward
Captain James T Carmichael could not bs
found, and the excited crew was TOO busy 10
steamer. An effort was made TO hnd Mr. Spin
ney, the robust first officer, but neither he nor
Mr.. Strumm the second officer. could be seen
on the bridge on deck. and IL was not unII
Captain Carmichael dragged his cher Oficee
from the smoking hold that the passengers
realized what a big fire the Korona's crew wasl
fighting. while they were peacefully eating
STEWARDS HELP IN FIGHT
The stewards fed from the deserted dining
room and Joined in the fight while the passen-
gers were ordered aft, out Of the way.
The Korona was steaming along in a srnooth
sea. about FIVE hundred miles north OF St.
Thomas and about two hundred and hrty miles
east OF Turks Island. when Captain Carmichael
smeIIed something burning forward He sig
nailed the engine room to stop and left the
bridge in charge of a quartermaster. II was
growing dark rapidly. and. grabbing lantern
and hose. the pucky Nova Scotia skipper and
his officers, followed by his motley crew. fought
their way through CIOuded labyrinth below
deck 20 find the origin of the smoke
In about ten minutes they discovered that =
mattress fire in the steerage comPart-
ment forward. and that the flames were spread
ing rapidly to other parts Of the hold. contain
ing cotton sugar and logs OF crabwOod-
Blinded by smoke and partly overcome by the
poisonous gases Captain Carmichael led the
way back 10 the deck When again in the open
he found that Spinney was lost in the hold. and,
taking few deep breaths. he picked up his
lantern and again made his way into the blazing
hold
Within three minutes the shippers totte-in<
form emerged from the smoke and he Ieeled
over on the deck Spinney, almost overcome BY
the gases, had lost his way in the nurky hold
and was bIindIy groping his way TO the deck
behind a door when he was found by his captain
and led to the deck. The two officers bent over
the PROSTATE form Of their captain. and. throw
ing water in his face. brought him back to con-
sciousness just in time to take the sIIuatiGa
again in hand and save the vessel
NO AIR TO FAN FLAMES
Captain Carmichael pulled himself tozsthas
pIuckily and had streams Of water and
steam pouring into the blazing hoI4 Fortls>
nateIy. the Korona drifted on calm sea. with
hardly a breath Of air stirring and the effect oe
the steam and water pouring into the hold
looked encouraging. All the steam that nlighs
have been used in propelIng the Kc-ona was din
verted to the fire. but IT not Until 10 T m
on January q that the flames were actually
subdued. An examination Of the hold showed
that the fire had been checked when within fousi
feet OF the Korona's big cotton cargo
L C. Bradford. formerly night editor OF TIA
Tribune. who was passenger. said that had ts
made by Captain Carmichael and his crew the
fire would have got to point where no human
hand could have stayed It's progress
The overcoming OF the FIRE, however, was noe
the only trouble the Korona encountered On
Wednesday. January q. she into 4 terrific
gale which kicked UP a high sea She had
hardly plunged into the storm when feed ptpa,
gave out and her speed was greatly diminished
Repairs could not be made while the steamer
was under way, and the storm was too heavy
for her to stop. Throughout the entire days OF
the 9th and 2Sth the Korona steamed undeEs
quarter speed through one of the heaviest storms
that have come up on the Atlantic since the hur-
ricane weather that prevailed about six months
ago
The little steamer that Rad wsathered big
storms in the Indian ocean when she was IN
the fleet Of the Shire Line pitched Ike eork
in millrace. and heavy conbers broke with
crushing force on her deck forward Rain fell
steadily for Intervals of three and four hours.
and the sea was frequently Illuminated by brill
liant electrical displays. From noon on Thursday
TO noon on Friday the Korona was able to log
only 1872 miles but at l p. n Friday ths
barometer, which had been down as low as 2S-52.
began to ascend and the storm suddenly passed.
FEED PIPE REPLACED
Captain Carmichael took advantage OF the IaII.
and. stopping MS engines. ordered the chief en-
gineer TO put in a new feed pipe The task vas
not an easy one but by Z p. m Friday re-
pairs were completed. and The Korona started
I'D again under full speed TO port An hour
after she got under way another storm came Up.
which lasted until she arrived at Sandy Hook
yesterday On Thursday the passengers. rany
Of them seasick. managed TO peep out Of their
cabin doors to see the display OF ST Elmo's frs