Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-09-15
S. S. CONGRESS
BURNS AT SEA
OFF COOS BAY:
Pacific Coast S. S. Company's
Steamer is Reported a
Total Loss
BRAVE OFFICERS SAVE
LIVES OF PASSENGERS
S. 0. S. Brings Speedy Assist
ance; Two Sailors Overcome
BY Terrific Heat
Aasoeisied Press BIZ Federal Wireles,l

" NA5bOCt1teu fTtth Dy EeQeT0l MlreleRll
SAN FRANCISCO, Cal, Sept. 15.-
The Congress. finest OF the Pacific
Coast Steamship Company's three
coastwise steamers, is charred dere.
llct, drifting under pail of smoke to-
wards Coos Bay, abandoned by her
passengers and crew. The passengers,
253 OF them, and the crew, I75 men,
landed ct North Bend, Oregon, last
night, safe but shocked by the expert
ence through which they had passed.
The ship 10 q total loss.
The Congress. which was four years
old, having been built by the New
York Shipbuilding Company OF Cam
den. New Jersey, on the Delaware, in
1912, and brought around the Horn to
assist ner sister ships, the President
and the Governor, In the coastwise
trade Of the company that owns the
ships, was on her way from San Fran
cisco to Seattle yesterday afternoon
when fire broke out in one of the
steerage cabins in the second hold.
II was shortly after 3 o'clock when
the first hint of the flames was OBJ
served, and IN short time it was
seen that the ship was doomed As
soon as this became apparent Capt.
Cousins turned the head Of his vessel
in the direction Of Coos Bay, then
about 80 miles to the east, and ordered
full speed ahead.
8. o. 8. Brings Help
As soon as the fire was discovered It
was reported to shore by wireless, but
when the vessels head was turned to-
ward Coos Bay and an effort was
made to send out an appeal for as
sistance, Il was found that the main
wireless plant had broken down but
the wireless operator immediately set.
20 work 70 install the auxiliary plant
Il took some time 10 get this in work
ing order and send out the S. o. s..
signal.
The call brosel,t helpk l1he vtoam
dredgeir Niche and the power schoon-
ef TiIlaflook both went 10 the assist
ance Of the Congress, hut not until she
had neared the coast so as to be in
soundlngs
officers Block Rush for Boats
The Congress by this time had
drawn near 10 the shore: the heat
from the flames was becoming more
tuOu Tic BE0R1C vi oOoAu COul0 cruAAos
and at last Capt Cousins stopped the
ship, dropped anchor and gave COM
mand to lower away the boats. AS the
boats dropped over the side into the
calm water there was a mad rush of
the passengers TO enter them and es-
cape from the scofchine decks.
This was promptly checked by the
officers OF the ship and the disembar-
kation Of the passengers in the steam
or was carried forward in an orderly
manner, the women and children CO.
ing first. The boats made for the
dredge Niche, which took on board all
OF the passengers and crew.
As soon as all persons were safe the
light luggage belonging TO the passen-
gers was put IN the boats and taken
to the dredge This work went on UNI
III the decks began warping under the
heat and turning red hot in places
where the flames ragged fiercest.
So long had some Of the crew lin
gered over this work that two Of them
were caught BY the burst of smoke |
that came when one Of the matches
blew off and were overcome. They
were lifted over the side and carried
to the Niche. One Of them suffered
severely and was taken to the hos
pital as soon as the dredge reached
dock, where he was reported still un-
conscious late last night