The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-04-28

one million and quarter dollars
worth OF property was DESTROYED by nrf.
yesterday morning at Newport News
Two mammoth grain and londing piers
Oh the Chesapeake and Ohio railway
az that place. caught fire from some un-
known cause
four vessels were also pra icnlly de-
stroyed by the flames. and the Old Do
m!nion Steamship company's steamer.
Oid dominion, was tied up to pier No,
D. ana nefore she could be gotten away
all the puint on one side of her was
burned off, and the port glasses crack
cd, giving rise to the idea among the
passengers that 1t was the ship her
self that was burning. IT was nccessa-
ny 10 cut the lines holding her to tho
pier before she could be freed The
vessel was gotten clear Of the docks,
however. and Is not seriously damaged
1t Is n peculiar coincidence that the
good ship narrowly escaped destruction
on the anniversary of the sinking Of
alvin Vesellto her, the Wyan0Kaf which
ran on the ram OF the cruiser Columbia.
but a few feet from the piers on the 27th
Of April, 1887.
THE VESSELS BURNED.
The vessels burned were the German
SNIP t51schof. laden with full cargo.
surance. The Norwegian Steamship
Cllntonia. partially loaded and insured.
The Chesapeake and Ohio tug Wan
dcrer. A''r
All these vessels caught from the burn
ing pier NO. the tug Wanderer, how
ster' IN q "ild effort to escape. slipped
ncr 1noor!nEs and ran around to pier
NO. g. to which she communicated the
nre from her own blazing superstru.
ture. Her crew had q narrow escape
and had to jump for their lives. Can.
taln Forrest was slightly burned. His
mate. iohn Diggs. deck hand and a
colored man were very badly. but not
seriously burned. peg" Johnson, the
tugs fireman. saved himself by jump
ING overheard and swimming ashore.
GAINS HEADwAY.
Meantime the two immense piers were
wrapped In flames. The one engine con
shutting the Newport News fire depart
ment, was doing good work with six vol
unteer heroes ut each nozzle. The
chesapeake and Ohio also had its
pumps at work. All efforts to extin
sulsn the flames were soon seen to be
Iutilc. and every endeavor was. there
lore, made to stop their spreading.
1t was soon apparent that unless the
cohVeyors between the mammoth grain
elevators were torn down the flames
would inevitably communicate to that
structure An engine was called into
service 10 pull down one, and the other
fell before the blows of dozens OF axes
me vast elevator building was there
oy saved but not before the flames were
almost upon It, ~. :
BURNING OF THE BISCHOFF.
Meantime the German bark Bischofs
was sheet Of flames Captain kr;te
and his crew made their escape with
great difncuity and Jack Anderson
Known Known about Newport News as the
LIE n,s Hwedc' ,, -, aroused them and saved
sheir iVes. The boatswain Of the Bis
cnolf was terribly burned and severoI
OF the sailors were injured, but none
seriously. >''''
Ihe Solve!g. Norwegian iron steam
er, was early ablaze. Her crew escaped
Mhen she drifted against the eastern
pier (No g. 80 =
The British steamship Cllnton,a wos
towed into the stream with ali her Un.
per work on fire. The flames also laid
noid or her Interior, and she lay in the
strean' all day blazing mass.
REPORTED FATALITIES,
It was reported that three men from
me bischoff had been lost, but this
could not be confirmed 1t is thought
tlat no lives were lost at all
However nine men were badly burn
co. Ihey were the captain and boat
swain or the Bischoff five Of the Wan
derer's crew, the captain Of the Sol
veig and the first officer Of the steam
ship Old Dominion
Engineer Holden. OF the tug Wander
er and the colored cook. who have been
missing and were supposed to have been
crowned were picked up by the British
steamship Queensmore In the harbor.
They are badly burned and had been
given up as lost n
WILL REBUILD IMMEDIATELY.
The Chesapeake and Ohio's actual loss
on the piers consumed win not, accord
Ing TO General Agent Stevens, exceed
$780, 600. This is amply covered by In
surarce and the work OF rebuilding will!
begin Immediately. The Chesapeake and
Ohio had alronf7v driyan5 5rilaa& $or stI,,r,.