The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-07-05


ampton on the Saale may have lost
their lives. 1t was said that some of
these people had come to this city, to
inspect the ship, which had been char
tered to take 500 Of them to England,
and that they were on board of her
when the flames broke out on the pier.
AS many people, to avoid being roast
ed to death on the three steamships and
the docks, jumped overheard and were
drowned, searching parties kept up a
close watch to-day along the shores
of the North river, Brooklyn and
Staten Island. AS the tide was on the
turn when the people were lost in the
water, it is believed that their bodies
were carried up stream and when they
rise will come to the surface above
Twenty-third street, unless they drift
ed into the central current and caught
the flood tide running out. They are
likely to be discovered mostly in the
upper bay. Relatives of the missing
employed rowboats and men to patrol
in the vicinity of the disaster in the
hope of picking up the remains of the
missing ones. Other boatmen searched
for the dead on speculation.
How Lives Were Lost.
Fully 1900 people were working on
the piers and vessels when the fire be-
gan. There were the longshoremen re-
moving and loading cargoes, the sailors
on the vessels, and even a number OF
passengers on one ship which had just
arrived.
Cut off from shore by walls Of
fire, driven off the piers into the water
cooped up in cabins from which the
sky could be seen through narrow port.
holes but no rescue could be had, hun
dreds of persons met fearful deaths
Nobody will ever know how great the
number is. Many bodies have been re
covered, unrecognizable.
Ships, piers and warehouses were al
burning within nine minutes from the
start of the fire. Then when the en-
gines and fire tugs came they were
powerless to put limit to the flames
Not till a pier of the Hamburg-Ameri
can line was blown up by dynamite was
the fire under control.
whisky Feeds the Flames.
In the middle of pier was a large
quantity of cotton bales, and alongside
this inflammable substance were 1Ot
barrels of whisky. The fire had it:
origin in the cotton and was fed by
whisky. The casks which contained
the spirits exploded and their contents
were scattered over the ipflammablC
merchandise upon the pier. The fire
swept over the pier with greater ra
pidity than the devouring element!
travel over the dry grass of the prai
ries. 1t caught the awnings and rig
ging of steamers and spread with in
conceivable rapidity to the highly pol
ished woodwork Of the cabins and thu
inaammable cargoes which were being
stored in the holds.
Panic on the Ships.
There was a panic on each of the
ships. Many persons jumped over
board, and the water for some distance
along the docks was lined with people
They were clinging to the piers anC
even to the rudders of the burning yes
sells. Some were pickedup; many were
drowned. Peter Quinn, a justice of the
peace in Hoboken, tells a story of hav
ing seen atleast 80 people perish.
Firemen Helpless.
Such Roadway was gained by the fire
that when the Hoboken fire depart
ment arrived the firemen were utterly
helpless to cope with the flames. They
were further handicapped by having
several hundred feet of hose burned
Calls were made to the New York fire
department for assistance, and fire tugs
were sent over. These, however, had
little effect on the great mountain of
flame and smoke.
The steamships Saale and Bremen,
after being pulled free from the docks,
were towed ablaze down the bay and
beached off Liberty island.
Vain Appeal for Help.
On the Bremen as it blazed out in
midstream six men could be seen with
their heads out of the portfolios, wav-
ing handkerchiefs for assistance. Tug
boats and small boats darted around
the big steamships, making every effort
to save the men, but the heat kept them
away.
Big Liner Saved.
The saving of the great Kaiser Will
helm der Crosse was attended with ex-
citing incidents. It seemed as if it
would never be possible to get the yes
sci clear, and the fire was spreading
so rapidly that it threatened at almost
any moment to reach the big ship. The
great hawsers, in the confusion, could
not be handled well, and axes were
brought into use to chop them, releas-
ing the vessel. The liner was towed out
into midstream and then far up the
river. Its bows were slightly burned.
Passed Through Death.
During all the time the steamship
Main lay at the burning docks with
The fierce flames playing all about her,
the flames from the docks licking her
tides and warping her plates and the
flames in her cargo eating away her in
.erior, 16 men lived on board of her.
When she was hauled out from between
he burning docks at IL o'clock Satur-
lay night these men were still alive. |
They made themselves known a half |
lour later when the wreck of the ship
vas beached at Shadyside. One of them
S blinded by the heat they underwent,
tut the others are alive and as well |
IS can be expected. These 16 were all |
osl passers. When the fire broke out |
hey were trimming coal in the
No Hope for Escape.
A member of the crew of the fireboat |