The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-01
APPALLING LOSS BY FIRE.

CONCLUDED FROM FIRST PAGE.)
tons and the unique spectacle was pre-
sented of the firemen on shore trying to
fight fires that every minute changed their
situation.
BLAZING VESSELS ADRIFT.
About half an hour after the fire started
two big steamships and several barges.
loaded with cotton, were seen from this
side to be on fire and drifting towards the
New York shore. A strong ebb tide car
ried the blazing vessels down stream and
nearer and neared the piers along West
street. When they were about half way
across the river the smoke that poured
from them hung so low that it was within
a few feet of the ground as il was borne
across West street. The crowds followed
the drifting ships and ran along the street
under the canopy of smoke which over
hung the sightseers and moved southwark
in unison with the drifting vessels.
AT 5 o'clock one of the big steamers
drifted past. with its bow pointing up
stream against the pier occupied by the
Peoples Albany line. Smoke and flames
poured from every opening in the big ship
as it brushed against the pier. A number
of tugs were vainly trying to get it out
into the stream. Before the fremen could
get to work the blazing ship had drifted
along the pier occupied by the New York
Central & Hudson River Railroad. The
steamboat Dean Richmond, of the Albany
line, loaded with passengers, was just
about to leave the pier when the burning
steamer blocked the path. There was some
excitement among the passengers, but it
cuhSidpd when the hla ring upccal drifted
way without harming any property. Sew
eral blazing barges followed close behind
the steamer, but were further out stream.
The second steamer which had come to-
ward this shore was also some distance
from the end of the piers. The fremen
were ordered by their officers to take up
and follow the drifting fire. Lines of hose
were stretched out at various points, only
TO be taken up before they could be used,
as the elusive confia grafton moved further
down the river. The street along the
water front was filled with engines. hook
and ladder trucks, water towers and fire.
men, taking up stations for a few minutes,
rushing hose lines out on piers and then
taking up and going further down town
abreast Of the moving boats afire. BY al
most superhuman efforts the tugs which
| swarmed about the burning steamships and
the flaming cotton barges managed to get
one of the steamers out in the center Of
the river. where IL could do no harm. The
other steamer was also turned from the
shore a few minutes later. Some Of the
burning barges dr,fted against the Fall
River line pier, foot OF Murray street. New
York. but the iremen were there TO meet
them and the tow boats dragged the
barges away. The railroad companies put
some of their big tugs at the disposal OF
the fire department. Firemen were put on
the tugs and went to work, with hook and
hose. to e%xtinguish the flames in the burn
ing ships.
CREW OF THE sAALE.
The steamer Saale drifted down to the
Battery about $50 o'clock. She was ablaze
and her crew was on deck. Captain Smith.
of the police boat. put his men on a tug
and ran 10 the burning ship. When the tug
reached the Saale. thirty-seven OF the lat
ter's crew were taken of. Most of them
were conscious. Some suffered from smoke
inhaled. Ambulances were called from
| Gouveneur, st. vincent's and Hudson-stree
Hospitals. Police patrol wagons were also
| called. The injured men were taken in the
several conveyances TO the different hospi-
tails. They appeared to be foreigners and
could not talk English and their names
| could nor be learned.
While the crew was being taken of Cap
ctair Smith noticed several bodies OF men
on the deck The ship then drifted to the
Jersey shore and sunk In the mud of the
fats. Tie patnG hen worked with Crap
L hours In an effort TO
ffG0Esd s0l Two.