The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-01
APPALLING LOSS OF UEE AND PROPERTY BY FIRE
Burning of North German Lloyd Steamship Companys Docks Kills
Many, Fills Hospitals With Wounded and
Entails Loss of $l0OOOOOO

NEW YORK, June 30.-Almost $40 O00,OO)
worth of property was destroyed, many
lives were lost, many persons were injur-
ed, and at least 1900 lives We're imperiled
by fire that started among cotton bales
under Pier of the North German Lloyd
Steamship company at 4 o'clock this att
ernoon. In less than ten minutes the
flames covered an area almost a quarter
of a mile long, extending outward from
the actual shore line to the bulkhea6s
from GEO to 900 feet away and had caught
four great ocean liners and a dozen small
Ell craft in it's grasp.
Stories in regard to the loss of life are
| conflicting, the number being variously
estimated at from 50 to 200. Up to mid
night ten bodies had been recovered. but
they were all so burned and blackened
that identification was impossible.
The hospitals in New York, Hoboken
and Jersey City are crowded with the in
jured, and many more are being brought
| in by the scores.
Those who gathered along the shores
! of the Hudson river to witness the great
confagration saw a spectacle that they
ways have a conspicuous place in the his
tory of New York.
START OF FLAMES.
From what can be learned tonight the
| flames started among a large pile of
cotton bales on Pier Of the North Ger
man Lloyd Steamship company, and
| spread with such remarkable rapidity that
in fifteen minutes the entire property of
! the company, taking in over a third of q
mile Of water front, and consisting of
three great piers, was completely envel-
! oped in huge blaze, that sent great
! clouds of smoke high up into the air.
The flames started so suddenly and gain
| ed such Roadway that the people on the
| piers and on the numerous vessels dock
| ed We're unable to reach the street There
! were great gangs of workmen on the
| piers, and these, together with a number
| Of people who were at the docks on bust
ness and visiting the ships, scattered in
| all directions. AS all means of exit were
| cut off by the flames, they were forced to
| Jump overheard, and it is believed a great
! number of people were drowned
At the docks of the North German
Lloyd were the Saale, a single-screw pas
| senger steamship of 1886 gross tons; the
| Bremen, twin-screw passenger and
| freight steamer of 5026 tons; the Main q
| twin-screw freight and passenger steam
ship of 10,20O gross tons. They all caught
| fire and were burned to the waters edge
! The Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse. which
| had just come in, was the only one of
the four big vessels at the dock that es-
| capped.
FRIGHTFUL LOSS OF LIFE.
The loss of the crews of these vessels is
| said to reach 100
The fire was first discovered by a watch
man on the pier at 4 o'clock. He saw a
| small streak of flame shoot from a bale
! of cotton on Pier No. 2, at which was
| locked the steamer Saale. He Immediate
| ly sent in an alarm. In few minutes the
flames had extended to the steamship.
and were communicated to the adjoining
pier on the north. Here were locked the
| Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse and the Main,
Tugs were Immediately made fast to the
big Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse and she
was gotten out into midstream with safe
| ty, although badly scorched at the bows
| The steamship Man, however, was doom
ed, as the flames had already become sc
fierce on the north side of the pier that
no tug could approach the vessel.
Then, by shift in the wind, tho
| flames were sent in the direction of Pier
No. l. which was to the south end of Pier
| No 2. To the north Of Pier No. was the