Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1883-02-02
A Blaze on the Inman Steam
ship Pier in New York
Threatens to Clean Out an Inn
mense Amount of Ship
ping.
The Steamer Egy pit Partially
Destroy ed.
The Loss Now Estimated at
100000.
A Full and Gr.phio Account OF
tho Soent-The Latest

News.
Special Dispatch 10 THS BHH.
New YORK, February la con-
hagration that promised at one time to
destroy large amount OF shipping
along the North river front, In the
vicinity Ct the piers of the Inman,
Cunard, TEAMS Atlantique, Generate
aud White SSar companies, broke out
at an early hour this morning, and is
not yet "A a. m under control. The
fire broke out in the carpenter shop
on the lnman company's pier, which
ia at q point where the shipping OF
this clans is very numerous, and enor-
nous storehouses filed with goods of
every description are very close to one
| another.
THE STEAMSHIP EGYPT,
OF the national compsuy's line, and
which was sometime ago chartered by
the Inman company, soon took fire
and was Immediately towed up the
river. As the steamer was toved into
the stream, the H,mea were running
swiftly up the rigging and gaining
headway elsewhere as she came into
tho breeze sweeping along the river.
The spectacle was one of grandeur,
it being seen by the people on the tugs
that ruch thing as saving the Egypt
was entirely out of the question.
They got out of harms way as soon as
possible.
THE FIRE SPREAD
into every part or the ship with great
rapidity. The fire rolled and cracked
in great sheets from the hold, now
tapping the very trucks with it's torked
tongue and then again swooping down
with resistless fury upon the deck and
rolling and tumbing back and forth
like great waves in the restless sea.
Presently there came terrifl, explo-
sion that was heard clear across Man
haitian Island, and the flames shot up
ward with renewed energy. Then
came second, third, fourth and fifth
explosion that bade fair from their
violence to rend the blazing hull In
twain. The steamer will be entirely
destroyed.
The steamer Alaska, of the Gulon
line, which arrived from Liverpool to-
day, as well as Nevada of the same
line were thought to be In 50 much
danger that at one time they were
lying at the pier adjoining the lnman
oompany's, but the wind fortunately
being from the southeast drove the
flames beyond the Guion company's
pier. At the last accounts these two
steamers were safe. 1t is supposed
that the origin OF the fire was q
TOBACCO SMOKER,
who violated the rules and took quiet
vhiff at the end of the pier, and when
he thought he had overstaid hi, time
put the pipe with an ember In it In
the locker. After towing the Bremen
steamer Henry to point of safety
the tugs set to work to remove the
canal boats from the dock north of the
Inman pier, as their docks were COW
cred with embers, and their crew had
deserted them. The crafts In the
dock south OF the Inman pier were not
In any great danger, as a strong south
cast wind blew from them to the pier.
Tho Egypt was completely burned.
|
rumor was started that
SOME LIVES HAD BEEN LOST,
but such reports could not be veri-
fed. The watchman on the pier
stated positively that all the workmen
got off ana that there was no one on
the Egypt when she was towed into
the stream.
THE Widest EXCITEMENT
prevailed on the neighboring piers,
and it was feared at one time that
thousands of casks filled with liquors
and goods on the bulkhead opposite
the Inman dock would be destroyed.
The fear among the captains Of the
various boats was intensified when 9
large cinder, carried by the wind, fell
into clewed-up maintopsail Of three
masted schooner and set fire to the
, masta. A sailor, bucket in hand, rar
; up the rigging and put out the blszs
but other similar fires occurred unit
t the busy little tugs had emptied tn,
docks Of the vessels. They wer'
mostly all towed down toward the Bat
o terry, but large number sought safst!
on the Jersey shore. 1t is impossible
@ to state
LOSS CAUSED BY THE FIRE
but rough estimate furnished by tn
police Is placed at nearly j0.o00
Other estimates make the loss owe
!. 81, COO, 900.
"a A LATER TELEGRAM.
>. At 0 this morning the Inmsn docl
:. is still burning aud s,ost of the build
. ings on the pier and contents are con
=, sumed The loss is roghly estimated
~ ~ at 81, 100000 The Egypt was no
>, totally destroyed. The fire depart
Ia ment and two fire boats are at worl
- !, on the flames. OF the large covere'
- sheds on the pier, nothing remains
and the pier itself Is burnt to tn
waters edge.
NOT so BAD.
To Beyond the pier itself and the con
III tents the loss has proved inconsiders
at BILE. The Egypt is iron and thou
.st sand dollars or two will mend her In
jury.
THE INSURANCE.
A At meeting of the board of fire III
derwriters to-day, committees wei
he appointed to ad just the losses on Il
lie pier building, machinery and me
lis chandize. The amounts az ,nsurau,
re are on the pier $50 900, on IL
Ia. machinery $2l, coo and merohandi
x7hO OOO