El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-02-26
FINE WHARF BURNED.
The Tampico Wharf Destroyed Before
it had Been Opened to Traffic.

The Tampico Wharf Destroyed Before
it had Been Opened to Traffic.
A Tampco, Mex, dispatch says:
The most destructive ard biggest fire
in the history of Tampico and probably
in Mexico has just occurred in this
city. At l 30 p. m. the alarm OF IRE
was given by the whistles OF score OF
engines and every church and other
bells In the city. The fire started in
the southeast end of the new govern
ment wharf AID in thirty minutes was
beyond all control.
The wharf was completed last June
but had not been opened to commerce
waiting the completion of the custom
house, which. would have been finished
about the first of November.
The origin of the fire is complete
mystery, no one having seen it unit
the whole of the wharf and some empty
box cars were ablaze. strong nd
coming up the Panuco from the gulf
drove the fl smes with alarming rapid
ty toward the opposite end of the
wharf, devouring every foot OF the
structure. The most heroic efforts
we're made by hundreds of tzens,
wharf employees and the police and
nj litary forces, but to no avail.
A. s. Robin SOD, the engineer in
crowd of fighters and fought the flames
valiantly every foot of the way, but all
TT cir work amounted to nothing. The
creosoted lumber, Of which the wharf
was constructed, burned like 90 much
wood saturated with ke' Osene and with
no other water force than buckets and
hand pumps no impression could pos
sibly be made. Thousands OF spectators
were on the scene, many of them seeing
70, ~, nd U.
ing the remotest idea what to do in the
premises. The Ward line steamer
Gumuri was the only steamer in berth
at the wharf, aud it looked at one time
as if che t o would be consumed in the
flames. Efforts were made to cut the
wharf in two, but the strong winds
drove the flames so fast that it was an
imposs billy to make any Roadway in
the work. Foot by foot the flames I'd
until they devoured every piece OF
timber in the structure to the waters
edge.
The wharf was by far the best In
Mexico and second to none on the
Anne rican continent. It was the pride
Of Tampico, Mexico, and the vessels
ar living in this port. Nothing but the
keenest regret was heard on all sides
for the loss of so handsome and elegant
a building
The unofficial estimate, of the loss is
81 200, 600. The amount OF insurance
can not be learned at this time. Be
sides the loss of the structure proper
l3, 900 barrels Of Por. land cement, all
of the iron to be used in the building
of the Gust IN house, two stationary en-
gines and one pile driver were con-
sume1. Also seven box cars owned by
| the Central rail way and consldera bic
| amount of freight des ined to interior
| points which was being unlOaded from
the steamer Yumuri
Two tug boats arrived on the scene
about $3.50, but with an insufficient
amount of bose to be of much assist
ance. At one time it looked as though
the Central railroads city warehOus ,,
freight depot and passenger depot
would go with the rest, but through
the heroic efforts of Messrs. ]. E. and
Fred Kelly, Fred Hartman and two
more Americans the flames on the
warehouse were checked long enough
to enable another gang to saw tie
bridge in two and cut out one spar
of it. This alone saved the Central;
jepots and the probable destruction o.
thousands of dollars wo-th of materia
Lying in the yards adjoining the build
gs.
| Inc leaQ 10 -ngntlng tne nre wa,
taken by the Americans connected
with the construction Of the wharf, bu
they were supported by the Mexican
citizens and employees in an admirable
way. With the burning of the whar
is lost two years hard work of hundred
of men and thousands of dollars. Mr.
Robinson, the engineer in charge
could not be seen tonight, he having
become exhausted in trying to ex
sirguish the flames that it was neces
sary for him to be taken to his roOms
Nothing can be learned till later re
alive to the rebuilding of the whar
md it will probably be several days be
fore q conclusion is reached.
The government and railroad OF
icials were notified by wire of the fire
IS soon as it was evident that the
flames could not be checked and the
railway officials will arrive here from
| Mexico in the morning to determine
| what course shall be taken.
The wharf was 257O feet long anc
had three sheds on it, the main one be-
ing 1000 feet and the others AIS fee
long. The custom house building was
not damaged to any considerable ex
tent, only the door facing on the south
side being burned out. At this hour 1871
p. m the fire is still burning, though
with no danger of consuming any Other
property. No fatalities occurred and
but one accident as far as is known, thai
being a Mexican having both legs cut
off by switch engine.
| Lost Child.
| An unusual amount of excitemen,