The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-01
All the Hospitals are
Over
MANY BOUND TO DIE.
BY Ten O'clock There Were More
Than 200 Victims.
THE SCENES WERE APPALLING.
Men and Women, Crazed by the Heat,
Leapcd from the Vessels Only
to Meet Watery Instead of
Fiery Death--Some
Heroic Rescues
Were Made
THE SCENES WERE APPALLING.

, er of 6,761 gross tons, was docked. The
flames got a good hold on the Phoenicia,
and she was towed out into midstream
ablaze
The officials of the Hamburg-Am
Line then decided that the only way TO
prevent a total destruction Of their great
pier was to blow up the side of the dock
at which the Phoenicia lay, and this was
done. A number of barges docked at the
pier also took fire, but in the effort to
save the other property no attention was
paid to Them and they were allowed to
burn.
1t is feared that the loss in the hold of
the vessel was frightful, and it is said
that many firemen who were asleep at
the time were imprisoned there.
MANY PERISH.
The worst 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 pas
SengerS were still on board, and when the
cry of fire was raised a number of them
We're seen to run to the burning decks.
Most of them jumped overheard. and save
for the few who were picked up by the
tugs, not one has been heard from, al
though every hotel and hospital in the
city of Hoboken is crowded with injured.
Some of the passengers of the Main tried
to escape to the pier, and it is almost
certain that they perished in the flames.
Many persons jumped overheard and the
water for some distance along the docks
was lined with people. They were cling
ing to the piers and even to the rudders
of the burning vessels. Some were pick
ed up: many were drowned. Pater Quinn,
justice of the peace in Hpboken. tells
story of having seen at least thirty people
perish. He said:
81 was standing on the end of one of the
Hamhurg-Amercan Line piers, and saw
about thirty people crowd under Pier l
of the North German Lloyds. They were
calling TO come Of the passing tcs-boats
but their appeals We're in vain, and when
the. flames got near they they dived into
the water. There was no assistance near
them at the time. and / believe every one
was drowned or perished in the flames"
FIREMEN HELPLESS.
About two hundred people We're rescued
at the Ham5urg-American Line per. They
were much overcome from exhaustion. but
soon revived with stimulations When the
fire broke out such headway was gained
by the time the i1oboken Fire Department
arrived that they We're utterly helpless
TO cope with the flames.
They We're further Handicapped by hav-
ing several hunGred feet of hose burned.
Calls We're made to the New York Fire
Department for assistance, and fire tugs
were sent over. These, however. had but
little effect on the great mountain of
flame and smoke.
BY O'Clock the three piers of the North
German-Lloyd Steamship Company had
been burned to the ground The southern
end of the Campbell Storage Company.
building, consisting of five tiVe-story struc-
lures, caught fire, and flames shot from
every window from two floors in but
few minutes. The building, being filled
mainly with jute and whisl<ey. burned
rapidly. The tiremen were unable to go
within fighting distance, and the fire had
pretty much its own way there. In
these buildings great loss will be sus-
tanned.
SIX MEN ABOARD.
The steamers saale and Bremen after
being pulled free from the docks were
t6wed down the bay and beached off
Liberty Island. On the Bremen, Us she
blazed out in midstream. six men could
be seen waving handkercaifes for assist
ance. Tug boats and small boats dalted
around the big steamships, making every
effort to save the men. but the terrible
heat from the flames kept them away.
The saving of the great Kaiser Viii
helm der Crosse was attended with eX-
citing incidents. 1t seemed as If it would
nexer be possible to get clear, and the
fire was spreading so rapidly that 1t threat
ened at almost any moment 10 break out
on the big ship. The graat hawsers in
the confusion could not be handled we'll
and axes were brought into use to chop
them releasing the vessel. she was towed
out into n,ids:ream and then faf' up the
river. Her bows We're slightly burned
Five minutes after the fire broke out q
woman jumped from one OF the ships In
vain effort to reach the water. The tiames
drove her from the ship and she plunged
heedlesslv in the direction in which ii
seemed that safely lay She jumped into
burning lighter alonsslds the snip af9
when an officer on board snip, who stiit
STAYED with the doomed vessel. saw her ana
realized wi,a; would be her, fate he piInsea
down after her. hoping TO drag her ont OF
the burning lisnter into the water. He fot-
lowed her within a couple of seconds and
beth went down into the flames III the
lighter and persisted.
FIREMEN SUFFERED
IS The rapid spread of .he flames IS sac-
! counted for by the shifting of the wind.
When the fire first broke out the wina
Was blowing strongly from the south. ms
drove the flames across to the Pier a anoNe ot,
The one on whiehsit started. Wittlin q fs,w
moments the wind shifted Almost d.raetiy
to the opposite point Under tae grsat
naysiion on the land END, the flames were
soon n, absolute control Had no. tl1aS re-
course 10 dynamite hsee taken 20 destroy
tho Hamburg pier. the flames might have
gone on All the fire boats and tugs in
the arbor would not have Stopped them.
The flames IN tfe cotton kept the fire at
! an immense heat. and the firenen suffered
greatly A gain and again seemed rs #
; they must abandon ti,e ;ighs. The Var. 81
nniats9sat which they could attack the
f,a mes we're : few, and their Efforts We're
necessarily llarnrs red SaT,le OF tbs tirenlsn
IN hook and ladder trnck No. OF Jersey
(sCitr had q narrow escape They had got
Seen nso,ifI as Tar as they couid on the PIER
sjhe south OF the blazing dock nd
H.era endeayeri,ls II recover bodies Of sps sr-
Sal,, sgi,t have got ten ind II
N ,nra 81 burst o. flame from pfsr