The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-27
COTTON ON FIRE IN THE HOLD
A PART or THE ALDERsGATE's
CARGO Is DtNNiNG.
Not Considered safe tn Take
the Iatchcs on.

Galveston, Texas, October &C. About 10
O'Clock last msht fire WAS discovered ia
the after. or No. L. hold OF the British
steamship Allcrsgate. 1878 tons burden.
Captain Willis, d0cloei at pier 10. between
tho North German Lloyd vessel Elizabeth
Riekmers and the English vessel Rama
zon
The Aldcrsgate Is consigned 20 w. ".
Wilson and a cargo o. "a little ovsr 1000
bales Of cotton is destined to so ON beard
OF her for Liverpool. steveiore John
Young was proceeding rapidly with the
work OF loading and expected to have the
chip In condition TO leave tomorrow. The
firs has changed the plans and the date
OF her departure IL indsfnitc There are
at present about $500 bales OF cotton on
board, but 1t is impossible to toll tae exact
number In the after hold. as no separate
chgck was kept holds Nos. 3 and 4 be-
Ing virtually one compartment and only
| separated by temporary wooden bulk-
head. according 10 the statement of officers
OF the ship.
on board the Aldcrsgate the officers and
| crew last might had either retired o. were
| preparing 10 do 30 and tho night Waterman
had the deck TO himself as he strolled uI
ana down keeping watch over the valuable
cargo within. About 10 o'clock he had
reached the rear end OF the ship and MAJ
standing ON The poop deck. when he
! noticed smoke issuing from the hitches
that were loosely laid. oyer No. hold. II
was evident that there was fir in the
cotton stored below and he Mt once gave
the alarm TO the first mate. Th1t officer
| Immediately piped all hands on deck and
\ tyl, .1 ,tn,t man al
the vessels crew had jumped out Of hia
bunk and was ready for duty. instruc-
| tIons were at once given to batten DOM
the matches and while this WAS being done
and a couple of heavy tarpaullns thrown
over ,the hold. the steam injector was be-
| ing prepared. Attachment was made and
soon steam was pouring into the hold OF
| the ship, seeking out the seat Of the fire.
| About II 20 O'Clock Chird Wagner OF the
fro department Was awakened By tcle-
I phone call al his house, from pier 10 ana
some one who could not be asecrtatnsd.
| Informed him that the cargo on the Al
dersgate was on fire, The chief instriete
| No. 4 engine to 30 TO The seems NJ once.
and within n short time had arrived him
| self Nothing further could he done be
yord watching to see II any SHARKS would
| escape and threaten tho thousands OF
| bales OF cotton that are stored ~ tue
| warehouses thereabous 81 on the
wharyes. CHIEF Wcgrcr remained al the
pIer until 2 o'clock and then went home.
after ordering the epviiis back, Intending
TO lift tho matches this morning and as
certain the extent OF the fire ana " II waS
ailll burning.
About 10 O'Clock this morning he re-
turned to the pier for that purpose, bn. a
high wind was blowing, and rather tnaa
endansxr the surrounding property nc
concluded TO leave the matches on untll
tomorrow morning IN the meantime or
Gsrlng the stssm bath to be coetin'lsd
The amount OF the damage done or the
origin OF the fire can not be ascsFtaiilsi
nriil The matches are taken up ana Az m
apeetion made.