| Show BLAZING STEAMER WITH DEATH LINER CONGRESS WITH HUN ON BOARD CATCHES FIRE AT SEA passengers and crew are taken off by dredge in time to avert disaster but vessel was completely destroyed marshfield ore with her bold a mass of flames the pacific coast steamship companas comp anys liner congress raced against death tor for the entrance 0 ot coos bay late thursday and safely transferred her passengers and crew to the dredge colonel P S atchle thirty miles off shore shortly after the last soul on board had been dis embarked the congress flared rai ed up like a torch from to stern and was completely destroyed two miles off coos hay bay bar which la is twenty five milles off shore the congress was forced to come to a stop and cast anchor had the dredge michie not been working on an the bar when the congress approached coos bay a tragic catastrophe probably would have resulted the atchle came close alongside the burning ship almost immediately after the latter cast anchor by that time the congress was completely enveloped in smoke which swirled out and enveloped tile the michie also the decks of the congress were blistering hot men and women choking in the smoke endeavored to pile into life boats the crew however under the direction of captain N E cousins remained in control ot of the situation and were assisted by the more self possessed of the passengers women cried hysterically but there was no panic seven life boats were lowered and women and children were put into them without disorder abandoned to her fate the congress drifted toward the spit at the entrance to coos bay lighting the sky tor for miles around considering the rapidity with which the fire on the congress spread after its discovery the safe transfer 0 of all on b oard board is considered to have been remarkably fortunate the cause of the fire which originated in the steerage near no to 2 hold may never be determined |
