New-York tribune., 1900-07-01
DETAILS OF DISASTER.
CONFLICTING STORIES AS TO
ITS CAUSE.
THE BLAZE STARTS IN COTTON-HOw IT
WAS DISCOVERED-SOAIE FRIGHT
FUL EXPERIENCES.

Reports differ TO the exact origin OF the
fire. BY some Of the officials of the company It
was declared that the fire started through
spontaneous combustion IN the bales OF cotton
which were lying on Pier No. g. while the state
ment made oy others was that the cotton was
set ablaze by the explosion Of a benzine tank II
Is certain, however. that the cotton. by what
ever means it became ignited. the primary
cause OF the confagration The rapidly with
which the flames spread after the first dis
c6very OF the outbreak was beyond compre-
hensiOn. The ticket agent, a man named
NOrthale. whose Office was at the head of Pier No
3. first the fire. He yelled to a man named
Franz TO apprize the crews Of the ships. and
the men working on the pier OF their danger.
but tafore Franz had covered many yards. the
incipient flame became a blaze extending the
whole breadth Of the pier.
The quickness with which the fire spread was
first ascribcd TO what were thought to be bar
rels OF oil It was not oil that the barrels con
tanned, but whiskey- Upon Piers Nos / and 3
there We're several hundred casks Of whiskey
awaiting shipment, and as the flames reached
them they exploded. and their contents, taking
fire, were so much fuel to what was already
a veritable furnace By officials who kept their
heals and were aa.s tc sy las nsr
-,..c sct - y1ialsn--- " ---.-4...-
the outbreak it was said that IN two minutes
six minutes. they assert. the whole pier system
burning. To many it was unaeeountable
why the ships which were lying at The piers
should have taken fire before IL was possible
even 70 cut them loose from the moorings
PORTFOLIOS AND DOORS OPEN
But all of the vessels had their porthcles and
doors open. Through these apertures the flames
swept with the ferceness OF a forced draught.
IN
and through these huge masses of burning cot
ton and flaming timbers fell into the holds and
onto the lower decks. With what awful quick
ness the fire spread in the interior Of the vessels
was shown in the fact that by the time thu
Saale vas towed into midstTeam-and not much
time was lost in doing it-she was literally a
floating kiln. To this almost incalculable rapid
ity with which the flames engulfed piers and
ships alike was due the fearful loss OF life Men
by the scores found themselves hemmed in by
walls Of fire before they had time even TO think
that their lives were in danger.
The Main and the Bremen were moored on
either side Of the pier which the North German
Lloyd Company recently purchased from tire
ThingvaIIa Line. AT the next pier. No I. was
the Kaiser Wilhelm. and at No. the Saale.
This last named ship was preparing to sail 70
Boston where to-day she was TO take aboard
for Cherbourg a large party OF Christian En-
deavorers. The Main was scheduled 20 sail on
Tuesday. as was the Kaiser Wilhelm. while the
Bremen would have started on Thursday. All
the ships we're coaIlng from lighters which lay
alongside them
FIRST TO THE KAISER WILHELM
When it was seen that destruction was likely
to overtake the big liners. the efforts OF the
company's employees were first devoted to the
saving Of the Kaiser Wilhelm She was the
largest and by far the most valuable OF the
feet at the piers In response TO signals a H1-
tiua OF about twenty tugs was almost instantly
racing for the piers. but not before the fire had
communicated itself 10 Jhe ereat liner. Lines
We're at once made fast TO she Kaiser Wilhelm
and she was tOwed out t0to -he middle of the
river. II was said that tha captains Of -he tugs
demanded and received a promise OF S100G0
for the help they rendered. The Kaiser VIII
helm was alire forward Oh her stsrbOarj side.
but it put OUT by the crew before il could
make any headway The men OF the Kaiser
Wilhelm. once the safety II their vessel was
assured SET TO vori, rescuing others who were
less fortunately situated than they. Lifeboats
were lowered ana helped tn save many of the
numerous people who were struegiius In the
water
PULLED INTO THE STREAM
As quickly as possible the Bremen. the saals
and the Main were puLed into the stream. They
were blazing. however. from stem To stern. In
the rigging Of the Bremen many men mad as
cended for safety. All OF them finally Jumped.
but while most OF them cleared the snip and
struck the water. two were seen 20 tump SHORT
and to fall upon The decks. They were burned
10 death. or the Saale three men were seen
az the lower portfolios, screaming frsRJicaliy.
and now and again dipping jute coal bags into
the water and then splashing their faces With
the wet BAGS. Some OF their comrades IN life
boats hOvered around them. but were helpless
20 aid them They could DO nothing bu, watch
anxious 70 rescue. but utterly unable. until the