East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1916-09-15
STEAMER AFIRE
OFF COOS BAY
. ALL ARE SAVED
Passenger Liner Congress,
San Francisco to Seattle
Burned.
OVER 400 LIVES N PERIL
Appearance OF Rescue Tug OH MArsh-
field HarbOr Saves Ship and Those
Aboard rom Disaster -- Special
Descue Train.

MARsHFIELD, Sept. I5.--The
steamer Congress entirely burned eX-
cept the steel hull, smOkcstOcks and
mAsts Hes near the shore. 1t was still
smoking this morning. The Officers
are unable TO tell how the fire Origi-
mated. The Officers denied a report
some passengers were overlooked In
state rooms and suffOcated. They de-
clare all were saved. The passengers
praised the crows GOODNESS. They de-
clascd most passengers also were
calm. They laughed and joked while
standing on the bow or standing In
llfebOats. The ship is a total loss.
Some passengers wore Ill-fItting
garments, having left their own
aboard the steamer. Mrs. |. X. Smith
OF Seattle. said: "I never saw 50 many
babies. The little tOddlcrs aboard the
ship added TO the danger. hut nearly
everybody was comDosed. Some were
hysteFiCal. The most laughed and
jOkcd." Mrs. Smith declared some
passengers iOked even while the deck
was hot under their feet. with the
roaring flames distinctly audible.
Mrs. i. T.. Ashton OF Seattle, saved
baby. The seasick mother had left II
in her care. After the alarm she car
rlcd the baby down the ladder into a
llfcbOat. She restored II to the moth.
or ashore. Mrs. Ashtnn's hand was
crushed between the lifehoat and
steamer Mrs. s. II. SOrenson Of San
Francisco said "EvervbOdv behaved
sDlendidly. The steward came TO my
stateroom and asked me To go to the
deck Immediately. When we reached
the corridor he rushed me through
thick wall Of smoke He placed his
hands on my nosc and mouth to pre-
vent nv breathIne fumes" f. T.
Peck Of los Angeles. an official ~ the
Pacific Electric Railroad praised the
crews coolness. He said all luggage
was piled into the bow and lowered
into the llfcboats after the passen-
gers were saved. There Is no whisper
Of inccndIarism here. 4 general car
20 was carried. Some think electric
wiring caused the fire. Coos Bay
people opened their homes to all.
There Is no suffering.
EUGENE. Sept ia special
train started for MArshfied az 1880
this morning 10 receive the passen-
gers from the burned liner congress.
II was due at Marsnfleld at noon.
The southern Pacific officials said the
SPECIAL will reach Portland tomorrow
morning. A second special is pre-
pared for the crew.
MARSHFITLD, Ore, Sept. Is
With her hold a mass Of flames the
Pacific Coast steamship company's
liner Congress raced against death
for the entrance of COOS Bay late yes
terday and safely transferred her pas
sengers and crew to the dredge Col
onel p. s. Machie, 30 miles off shore.
Shortly after the last soul on board
had been disembarked, the Congress
ilared up like a torch from stem to
stern and was completely destroyed.
All the passengers and most Of the
crew were landed from the Niche at
North Bend, near here' shorty De-
fore 10 p. m tonight,
Two members OF the crew were
overcome by the smoke They are
Chief Engineer b. Aartland ana r.
Tyson an assistant In the steward
department me formers conoi'ion
Is not serious Dut the latter was TAX
en- to hospital at north Behu In al
unconscious cohuition'