New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-16
LEWISTON'S BIG FIRE.
ONE LIFE LOST WITH THE STEAMER CT
BOLA.
Az ENGINEER persisted IN THE BLAZING YES
sEI>-THE AMERICAN HOTEL AND THE
cI.sroM IIOrSE DESTROYED.

CUSTOM HOUSE DESTROYED
rew,s,on \ Y. July l5-The most disastrous fire
,bo. eyer visited this village occurred here early
this morning. At o'clock fire broke out on the
steamer Cibola which plies between here and
Toronto and by daylight the splendid vessel was
smouldering wreck, burned to the water" eoge'
and her third engineer had died lingering death
IN the pent-up hold. The American Hotel and the
Custom House. which caught fire from the blazing
boat we're destroyed. 1t was just O'Clock when
the Waterman Of the Cibola discovered hre IN the
oilroom and shouted the alarm. The fre Dell was
r,ng and In few minutes the whole population
OF the village gathered at the pier. Fire brisades
we're organized. and the citizens laoored mantuiy
to save the boat but their efforts were futile.
Meanwhile on the doomed boat there was the
widest confusion In two minutes after the hre
was discovered the Cibola was abiaze from stern
10 bow The majority OF the crew, thrty-eight IN
number slept forward, and had no great difficulty
In escaping although some OF the men were
scorched Down below slept Chief Engineer Walsh.
Second Engineer Woodward and Third Engineer
william Hammond. They awoke in nane ana
smoke Walsh and Woodward escaped after ter
rbe struggle being just able 20 break through the
Gordon OF fire and leap overheard. Both were badly
burned. Hammond failed 10 reach the deck, whence
he could leap into the water. and fed below wnere
he could be heard crying for help. While he was
still alive the boat burned from It's moorlngs drfted
slowly out the river. and lighted the proad eN-
panse of water until II seemed as Drisht as nooh-
day The Canadian hills were illuminated by the
glow and high up on the mountain the statue OF
Brock stood out in striking relief against the darK
ness II was an impressive sight. John Wilson,
fisherman rowed after the burning steamer Hs
could hear Hammond family calling for help for
fully fifteen minutes. then his voice was stiiled ana
he heard no more
From the Cibola the flames spread 10 the pies
and thence to the American House, kept by henry
Cornell. Despite the efforts OF 100 men, the hrs
slowly gained on the building. and by sunrise II
was In ashes Much OF the furniture was saved
The Custom House also caught nre ana was
burned with all its records. ~ ,,.
The steel hull OF the Cibola drifted two miles
down the river and aground. Hammond
charred body was found in the boat IL was re-
moved to Lewiston and an inquest held: Ham
mond was thirty years old and unmarried. lie
lived In Toronto. -, 49,, It'll
Nothing is left OF the Ciboa but the iron hull,
one smokestack and one padiebox The nun VIII
be lowed 10 Niagara, ont The loss on the Vessei
is fully s225.co The American Hotel was one OF
the Oldest hostelres in Western New-fork, having
been built in 1875 by Ezra Cornell grandfather OF
the present owne-. Mr.. Cornell estimates MS loss
AZ sioOD The insurance IS $500 Tnat on inc
Cibola is also small. The New-York central STA.
ton and the Anglers Retreat narrowly escaped
destruction The Bel. Telephone station was de-
STR