The Cairo bulletin., 1910-07-25
WIRELESS SAYS
BURNING SHIP
LINER MoMUS TOOK FIRE WHILE
OFF FLORIDA COAST
SATURDAY..
C0MUS TO THE RESCUE
Sister Ship of Momus Took Passen-
gers Off-Women Prove to
be the Heroines DurI
ri, ing Excitement.

Charleston, s. G., July 24.-The
snap and fash OF the wireless, send
ing out the IS. 0. s. call that has
superseded the &C. ID. c." the high
sea cry for help, yesterday resulted
In the saving of scores Of lives OF
passengers aboard the 5,0o0-ton coast
liner Momus, owned by the Southern
Pacific company, which was afire off
the Florida coast. News Of the res
cue was brought by wireless dis
paches received here. The Comus, a
sister ship belonging to the same line
answered the call, standing by while
the passengers were transferred
The advices sent out while the yes
sci was ablaze In the twelve fathoms
of water said that there was a mimi
mum Of confusion among the passen-
gers, and that nearly all, especially
the women, acted with heroism from
the time the flames were discovered
until they were safe aboard the relief
ship
There were about eighty passen-
gers on board and 105 in the crew
The fire was we'll advanced when
discovered and for time efforts
We're made to keep the situation from
the passengers, but eventually 1t be-
came impossible, as the blaze gained
headway.
Answer From Comus.
4 In the meantime the wireless had
been flashing necessarily. When it
was seen that the passengers would
inevitably have to know the situation,
an answer from the Comns was
picked mp The Momus was bound
up the coast from New Orleans. The
blaze was discovered in the afterhold
when she was off Cape Canarveral
Fla. Efforts were made to signal the
lighthouse on the cape Capt John
+. Boyd then ordered all hands to
fight the fire.
1t was impossible to penetrate I'M
the flaming hold, so the hatches were
battened down and pumps kept going
necessarily, flooding the compart
ment. The vessel was compelled to
slacken speed and lay to and the life
boats got in readiness to take the
passengers ashore, landing them on
the sandy but treacherous beach. IL
necessary. Capt. Boyd and First
Officer Wood calmed such passengers
as became frightened when they
learned of the fire, and kept them In
good order. A few passengers went
to the aid of the officers, cooperating
in maintaining cheerfulness.
Sang Through Night.
All through the night anxious
groups of passengers huddled on
deck, but some were induced to go to
bed. The saloon was turned over to
those who preferred to stay awake
and two-score passengers sang all
night while one of their number
played the piano. When the Comus
came at last, and her master, Capt.
Maxon, signalled that he was ready
to take aboard all passengers. the
conditions of those aboard the Mo.
mus were as good as could be ex-
peeted. Some of the more exctable,
however, were in a state bordering
on nervous collapse.
The small boats of both ships were
put to the task of transferring the
men, women and children from the
Momus At the request OF Capt. Boyd
the Comus stood by while the crew
and officers gave thir undivided at
tention to checking the fire in the
hold.
Their efforts were rewarded today
when the blaze was gotten under con
troy Fear of it's fiaring up, should
air be allowed to enter the compart-
ment. prevented the opening of the