The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-28
TWO MILLIONS GONE.
FIRE AT NEWPORT NEWS De-
srRoXs PIERS AND SHIPS.
Four vessels, the Clintonia, solveig,
j. ID. BischoH and Wanderer
Harm to the Waters Edge-TwS
Immense Docks Rufned-onicers
and Grew Fight for Their Lives
Half q Dozen Men Badly Injured
Zig Elevators saved by the Fire
Depar tlaent

NEWPORT NEWS, Va, April sI.-F1re
broke out In the Chesapeake & Ohio rail-
road ooinpanys pier at an early hour
this morning. Before the flames were
checked damage - the extent Of 5000. 90
had been done. Two OF the cornpznys
immense piers vera destroyed and many
persons injured. soma OF them seriously.
The flames were discovered In pier s
about Els this morning. and sprsad with
such rapidity that IL was impossible 10
make any Roadway against them. A
fierce north wind famed the flames
furiously. and swept them across thu
decks TO pier &. which Was soon burning
hIriouxly.
The British snip Ciinronia. which was
loading with oil. tobacco ana merchandise
st pier S. was soon sbaaze- The tugs pull
ed her out into the middle OF the river.
where an Intellectual battle was waged
CT terrible odds, against the flames that
were raging IL her fniarnu.able cargo. She
was burned TO the waters edge at 10
o'clock tonight.
The Norwegian steamship sofveig. which
was loading grain at pier 8. next caught.
The crew managed 10 escape BY climbing
down the hnwsers 10 tho pier.
Meanwhile the Chesapeake & Ohio tug
Wsnderer. which had caught nre, had
burned 20 the waters edge.
Ire German sailing chip ]. d. Bischofr,
taking on slaves from the north side OF
pier g. also caught Fne flames obtained
such a hold on her that they could not
De conquered and she went TO tho bot
tom at O'Clock this afternoon. The
crew OF the vessel had a very narrow es-
cape from being crcmated. They We're
aroused by John Anderson, one OF the
crew, aud were only rescued with the
greatest difficulty after the captain ana
ooetswain had been badly burned.
The heavy north wind and the heroic
a.1erts OF the fire department saved
the large grain elevators OF the Chess-
pcake 4 Ohio company from destruction.
The ire was rapidly spreading across the
conveyors that connect the elevator with
the piers. but With the aid OF a locomotive
and az immense chain the conyeyor sup
ports were pulled cut. the conveyors them
selves pulled down and this danger
averted.
At I O'Clock this afternoon the Ere had
spent It's fury and wes well under control.
The anjured. so far as known. are as
follows:
Capt. Forest. OF the tag wsndersr.
slightly burned.
John Digss mate % the Wanderer. bad
" burned about The head and arms
Capt kygts. of IRE ship BtschoT per-
haps fatally burned. and the boatswaln
o. the same vessel was terribly burned
about the arms
Tsers are vague rumors o. many per
sons having lost their lives but they can
not be traced 20 any reliable source
The Chesapsaks & Ohio Railroad COM
psny estimate their loss a. about ss9a 80.
which - fully covered ~ Insurance The
total loss, including Tho three ships will
probs by reach s. GO go TIE Insurance
r. divided among a large number OF big
companies. Tas steamship Clintonla was
owned By Robinson 4 Sons North shields.
the soleytg BY y. NICHOLSON g. Sons. Ber-
gen and TIE - Elscho9 by the J. !.
Bascho1 CON parry. Bremen.