The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-07-04

The steamship s.aiu. nowevee, vas
doca:sa. as the flames lad already ae
cone so farce on the north side OF the
pier that % tug could approaca ,ae
vessel. Theu. By shifs 10 the wind
the aames were seat 10 the direction
of Pier N, l. which was to the south
cad of Pier Nc. 2 To tue no;ia OF
Pier No. l was the dock of the Ham
burg line where the sseam :
ship PtGoicia. a twin screw passenger
steamer Of 6 6.761 gross tors was docked
The flames got a good hold 90 the
Pte1icia aud she vas towed out into
midstream ablsZe.
The officials of the Haubu-g Aueri-
can line then decided thas the only
way to prevent total destruction of
their great pier was to blow up tue
side Of the dock at which the Pee 1lcla
Law aud this was done A number OF
barges docked at the pier also took
Ere. but 10 the effort to save the other
property DO attention vas paid to them
aod they were allowed to buro.
THE STEAMSHIP MAIN.
The worse tale will come from the
steamship Main, which was unable to
be towed from the pier. The vessel
had only arrived this morning and
some passengers we're still aboard, and
whea the cry OF FIRE vas raised a nun,
Der Of them were seen to run 20 the
burning decks. Most of them Jumped
overheard, and, save for the few who
we're packed up by the tugs. not one
has been heard from, although every
hotel aud hospital IN the city OF Ho
boken is crowded with the injured.
Some of the passengers of the Main
tried to escape to the pier. and it was
almost certain that they persisted IN
the flames. There was panic oo each
Of the ships. Many persons Jumped
overheard, end the water for some
distance along the docks vas lined
with people They we're cllog!ng to
tue piers. and even to the rudders OF
the burning vessels. Some we're pick.
ed up; many were drowned
GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.
There we're hundreds Of men 90
each of the destroyed steamships ADD a
few women. Crowds OF dock laborers
and also employees of the companies
we're on all the piers Men, women
aud children we're 90 the canal boats
and men op tn. barges aud lighters
and wbeo the FIRE made its quick de-
scent upon them escape was cut of
before they realized their awful post
ton. The people ou the piers jumped
toto the water to save themselves and
scores Of M sn hudded uader the piers.
ollngiog to the supports only TO De
sufocated by the flames or to drop back
into tue water from exhaustion.
Peter Qainn, justice of the peace
in Hoboken, tells story Of having
seen at least thirty people perish. He
said +: 81 was standing op the end of
the Hamburg American line piers aud
saw about thirty or forty people crowd
under Pier No l of the North German
Lloyd. They were calling to some Of
the passing tug boats. but their appeals
were in vain, aud when the flames got
pear taem they dived Into the water.
There was no assistance at the time
add believe tia, every ooe was drown
ed or perishcd ia the flames.
About 200 people we're rescued at
tie Hamburg-Amer!can lice pier
They we're much overcome from ez
haus.loo, bus sooo revived With s,imu,
lan,s.
When tie Gre broke ous sach head
way vas gained By the time the Ho-
boken 6,a department arrived that they
were utterly helpless to cope With the
flames
New York, July The losses
sustained in the fire at the North