The evening world., 1911-08-18
PANIC ON LINER
MASSACHUSETTS
ON FIRE At SEA
Cowardly Men Fought Gentle
Sex in Scramble for Life
Preservers.
WARSHlPS TO RESCUE.
Stewardess Helps to Allay
Alarm and Blaze Is Finally
Controlled.
WARSHIPS TO c

men scrambled for life o~rsosrvsrs.
snatchsd them from women and raced
IKE madinen about tho decks of the
steamer Masssehusetts Of the Maine
Steamship Company whom IRE Was DIS.
cSvered on that boat, was told BY pas
ssagssS VINO reached the eompAny's
decks a the foot Of Barclay street to-
day. The nre was discovered at 7.b
o'clock last night. Inside Of ten min
utes the decks were filled with scream
inS and faintine women. and two battle
ships. called by wireless. we're racing to
the rescue Of the steamer.
Tue Maine Steamship Company 10
handling 10 nrst season On the outside
line from Boston When the Massachu-
sets passed Races Point. neal Prov
ipcetown. at ! o'clock last night she
carried . full list Of passengers. Sud.
denly smoke was sesn coming In clouds
o the engfns-room
Ships ofhcers notified the passengers
that there was . IRE IN The engine
room and had the IRE alarm sounded.
AL passengers were ordered 70 the
deckA Then Q second IRE harm was
sounded and the excitement that fol-
lowed wa Intense. Tho men on board
completely iost their headA
MEN BECAME HverERicAL AND
MADE THE WOMEN FRANTIC.
They rushed about the decks. grab.
bling all Of the life preservers they
could And. and shouting at tho top of
thelr, voices. Tho women. made hystsr.
icaItf the conduct Of the men. Joined
the pAaio stricken rout.
In their midst . stewardes& Q negrsoA
seemingly alone In the tas Of keeping
her head. ran about trying 70 calm her
charges. She was rsanforced by Irving
Leon. William Reed and Harold Thsboid.
throo Boston passengers. who managed
to get . partial command Of the situa.
etoa.
The three Oea hAsaa opsrAtions when
they saw . s1ant snatch . life pre-.
srvsr from . woman. They knocked
him down end took the life prsssrver
from hin. TAsa they oommandsd all
praoervses are sst "a example Of calm
asso 70 The women
The men finally accepted the leader
eAip q the three msu and restrained
their inclination to run r~oughshod over
the womsn OF the ship.
In the meantime the wireless man had
bssn told BY the captain TO ask the
bAttlsships Kansas and Vermont to
stand by ready to help II needed.
This order. when II got to the battle
ships. had BEEN changed to Q plea for
Instant aid. and the big fellows. cruis-
ing up the Massachusetts, coast. came
under forced draught toward the loca-
tlon Of the troubled liner. II was .
hot ocean race between the giant
lighting ships. bound for once In their
lives upon N srrand OF peace and
mercy.
the PASSENGERS, AeAesuREo.
WATCHED FIGHT Ao.\.NsT FIRE.
Three NJ Of water were thrown
on the upper deck. = couple ON the sso-
oAd deck and the panIc-possesssd pas
senSsrs watched the h~re-fightiny for
more than an hour. AZ the end Oh that
Tune the nrs was out. Even then the
passengers did not 20 to sleep. They
passed u restless ana strenuous night.
The hrs was caused by the ignition Of
packing In the engine room. which con-
municsted flames to oil ana set the On.
TIRE room Ablase. II burned. with no
great damage. through to the second
deck. The chief loss came to the ships
restaurant. from which many OF the
passengers rushed without stopping to
pay their dinner checks
The p~asssnSsrs. who reached the
dock At the foot Of Barclay street to.
day. were pleased with the conduct OF
the three men from Boston ana with
the cool courage OF the negrsss, who
did mighty work In avertiny the dan
gers Of ths 0Anic that was In full
swing.
When tho IRE was out the ships wire
less man told the battieships that they
were not needed and they turned back
to Boston where Admiral Togo may see
than ~ ha recovara from hts inatgastlao