The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-07-04
GREAT FIRE AT
NEW YORK CITY.
Piers and Steamships Of North
German Lloyd Line Were
Destroyed.

New York. June 3O.-Almost ten
million dollsrs worth Of property
vss destroyed. many lives were lost.
0soy persons we're injured and at
lsess $500 lives were imperilled by
. 6rs that started among cotton bsles
stored on Pier No. 8. Of the North
0ssnsu Lloyd Steamship Company,
10 Hobokep, N. j st 4 O'Clock this
alssrnoon In less than fifteen min.
nses the 6sme covered On area Q
quarter Of . mile long, extending
/. outvsrd from the actual shore line 10
tAe bulkhssds from six hundred to
ese tsoussnd feet away and bad
csught four great ooesu liners and Q
dozen or more smsll harbor craft in
iss grssp.
Ssories In regard to the loss of life
ere ooo6ioting. the number hcing
variously essimstsd from fifty to two
Auadrsd Up to midnighs ten bodies
-had been recovered, but they were
ah % burned and blsckened that
idsnsifeasion was impossible The
hoepitals in New York. Hobokeu and
jersey City ere crowded With the in.
tassd and men are being brought 10
b soosss
Those whsto ghsred along the
shores Of the Hudson river to witness
Ne greet oon6sgrssion ssw . speo,a.
sle they oan never forget and one
sAat will slwsys have . conspicuous
plees IN the history Of New York
city. >
A FEARFUL SPECTACLE.
The river and bay were envelopsd
- . pail Of black smoke. through
Which sagry 6smss. bursting %
non volcanoes. on The Jersey shore
end 10 the wster itself, lssped like
red spssss into the sky. The surface
of he wstsr wss covered With float.
isg ssd blazing mssses of freight,
thrown In hssse from the doomed
vesssls oil unnosioed IN the mad race
10 resces more precious life. threat.
sssd OF beng sacrificed In the great
chips. And through the pail Of smoke
. greater crimson sun, enlarged to
thrice Ito siss By the haze, glarsd like
@ enormous eye - is slowly sunk in
The vest.
Seoh wss the tremendous spectacle
presented on the surface Of the Hud.
river. - ~ is had been some holiday
psgsss IL wss made trsgio BY the
realisation that somewhere beneath
ehe euroid waters scores of human
lives bed been loet or were then 10
their lest desperate struggle sgainst
death.
This spectacle was witnessed by
thousapds end thousands from both
seores. end by other thoussuds who
crowded on every ferry boat. every
variety ct craft that could be secured
for the purpose. The crowd upon
the banks Of the river was almost ss
great 90 that which was formed TO
witness the triumphant return of
Admirsl Dewey.
Men working in the holds O: the
Soor steamships were shut in by
vale Of flames and it was impossible
20 reach them Ii probably never
will be known how many lives perish.
Cd 10 the ships. % the fsmes would
lesvs bot few IL any remnants of
The humsn body. The greatest loss
OF life appears TO have been on the
Sssls. She carried $50 people and
wss to have sailed for Boston ,his
afternoon When the police boat
captain went out With his rescuinp
party. be saw bodies lying eli
around the deck The stesmmshio
Bremen carried . crew Of 500 men.
and tbs Main $50 and IL ss many
hvcs were lost % on the Sasle, the
sumber Of dead will be very great.
STEAMSHIPS BURNED.
Toe flames stsried 90 suddenly and
gained such head say that the people
on tho piers and on the numerous
vessels docked were unable 20 reach
the street. There were great gangs
OF workmen Ola the piers and these.
together with q aumber Of people
Who we're OF the docks on business
and visiting the ships. scattered iu
oil directions. As oil means Of exit
we're cut of by the flsmes they were
forced TO jump overheard snd no
doubt . great number Of people were
drowned
AT the docks for the North German
Lloyd were the Sssle. . single screw
passenger ship Of 4,965 gross tons