The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-06
Eight SHIPS ON FIRE.
All Believed 10 Hove Been
SET By IICeIdi1IieS.
A Suspicion that PhOs-
phOrus Was Used.
NIlI Thousand BIG} OIL Cotton
Damaged.
I'LL The Tres UNDER CONTROL
Started at Different
WharVes.
No Estimate of the Loss Yet
Obtainable.
I'LL The TIlES UNDER CONTROL
Started at Different
WharVes.
No Estimate of the Loss Yet
Obtainable.

What appears like a concerted effort to
fire the ships loading cotton here was
made last night Within less than four
hours seven ships we're discovered adre at
different places along the wharves, some
of them being on fire in more than one
place.
Three ships were burning at the lower
wharves and three at the upper wharves
at the same time It was noticeable that
the fires appeared to alternate the first
ship being discovered on fire at the Central
press, then two at the Gordon wharf, then
another at the upper press wharf, another
at the Gordon wharf and the last at the
upper press wharf again.
The seven ships which were fred are
the Skidby, the Dalgarth, the Baltimore
City, the Castlegarth. the Petunla
and the Armenia. The most Sc
rious damage is to the cargo of the
skidby, about 5000 bales being badly dam
aged by fire and water besides probably
some damage to the ship The damage to
the Skidby's cargo will probably exceed
$4,000. The damage to the cargoes OF all
the other ships will hardly exceed $4,000.
The Skidby which is the largest vessel
in port, had about 10000 bales of cotton
aboard and would probably have connie
ted her cargo to-day. At $50 o'clock fire
was discovered in No. 8 hold by the watch
man, who Immediately gave the alarm.
The ships hose were gotten out and to
work and an alarm was turned in from
box 81 to which the engine and hose com
panles in the northern part of the city re-
sponded The tug Regis came up before
the arrival Of the hremen and got on a
stream Of water. 1t did not have much
effect, however, as by the time the firemen
got to work the fire had such start that
it held its own In spite of a dozen streams
OF water poured steadily upon it for sew
eral hours Nos /, 2 and 3 engines, the lat.
ter being the new large sized fire engine
just purchased by the city. were kent at
work at this fire until early this morning
Some idea of what a cotton fire is can
be gained from the statement that two
hours after the engines had begun work
the deck Immediately over the hold was
too hot to stand on. About this time the
fire communicated to the cotton in the
forward hold, but the blaze there was
quickly extinguished.
At 7I5 o'clock an alarm was sent
in from box "A at the Gordon wharf.
below the city, and over mile
distant from the first fire. Fire
had been discovered aboard the Baltimore
of each other there. As in the case of
the Skidby the fire was discovered by the
Waterman, who discovered a bale Of cot
ton ablaze at the bottom of pile living
On the wharf alongside the Baltimore
city, and at the same time smoke was
pouring from the ships No hold. The
alarm was given, the ships hose was got
ten out and the tug Forest City and an
other tug came alongside and got out their
hose. Almost Immediately after the dis
covery Of the fire on the Baltimore CITY
fire was discovered in the forepeak Of the
Castlegarth lying alongside The lat
ter fire burned very rapidly There
were eight-one bales OF cotton, which had
just been put in. The sailors quarters
were also in the forepeak, and all their
clothing was there. This was all de-
stroyed and several of the men said they
did not have a rag left except what they
had on their backs.
II was only a minute or two after the
fire was discovered on the Baltimore
city before the alarm was given from the
Castlegarth, which was tied to the rorme,
ship. The officers on that vessel say the
tire was discovered in the forepeak about
tbs o'clock, which was the time at which
1t was first noticed on the Baltimore
City. The Castegarth had about 450
bales Of cotton aboard while aft Their,
was a cargo Of phosphate. The snould
erlng FIRE burned in this vessel from
until 1880 o'clock and II was not en-
tircly out at that time. Fully 100 bales wer,
removed from the forepeak of the YES
sci, and the burned cotton from this YES
sci and the Baltimore city was put ont,
lighters, which were run alongside Mos
OF the cotton on the Castegarth had beer
put into the forepeak, and a great dca
OF u that was not damaged by the Ar,
was thoroughly soaked with water. whic.
was poured upon b. Foreman Murph.
was lu charge al these two ships. an.
DE was not long Boo getting the fire undr
way though it wns some time before d
was considered that they were cutrcl
free from danger
Engines N0s. o uud responded t9 thI