The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-01

! dollars worth Of property was destroyed,
many lives were lost, many persons were
injured, and at least fifteen hundred lives
NeE ss@N.ffpeIIled by fire that started among
Fcotton bales stored on pier No. of the
/ North German Lloyd Steamship Company
in Hoboken, N. j., at A O'Clock this after
noon.
In less than fifteen minutes the flames
covered an area a quarter of mile long
extending outward from the actual shore
line to the bulkheads, from 600 to 1000
feet away. and had caught four great
ocean liners and a dozen or more smaller
harbor craft in their grasp.
Stories in regard to the loss of life are
conflicting, the number being variously
estimated at from 50 to 200. Up to mid
night ten bodies had been recovered, but
they were all so burned and hlackened
that identification was impossible. Fhe
HOSPITALS in New York, Hoboken and Jer-
sew City are crowded with the injured, and
mon are being brought in by scores.
Those who gathered along the shores
of the Hudson river to witness the great
confederation saw spectacle that they
never can forget and one that will al
ways have a conspicuous place in the his
tory of New York.
Was Awful, Yet Grand.
River and bay were enveloped in pail
OF black smoke through which angry
flames. bursting as from volcanoes, on the
Jersey shore and in the water itself, leap
ed like red spheres into the sky. The sur
fa1e of the water was covered with float
. ing and blazing masses of freight thrown
In haste from the doomed vessels-all un-
| noticed In the mad race to rescue more
precious human life threa tening or being
sacrificed in the great ships. And through
the pail of smoke great crimson sun, en-
Iarged to thrice its size by the haze, glared
like an enormous eye as it slowly sank in
the west.
such was the tremendous spectacle pre-
. scented on the surface Of the Hudson river,
as If it had been some holiday pageant.
| It was made tragic by the realization
tAat somewhere in that smoke, somewhere
beneath tie turbid waters. scores of lives
had been lost, or were then in their last
desperate struggle against death.
This spectacle was witnessed by thou
sands and thousands from both shores
and by other thousands who crowded
upon every ferry boat, every excursion
boat, upon every variety of river craft
that could be secured for the purpose.
The crowd upon the banks of the river
was almost as great as was formed to
witness the triumphant return of Admiral
Dewey
Tugs Played Their Streams.
Looking up the river toward the burn
ing ships and pier the scene was a won
tsrfu and tragic one of grandeur. The
Steamship Saale had been turned into
feSrver until il was just off Fort Lib
rty, where she had been gathering about
er a ring of fireboats and tugs oil
yhtng TO save az least the hull of the
soomed steamer. Flames were still
leapng from her port holes and rushing
out Of her cabins.
At varying distances about the burning
ship, lay coal and cotton barges, all
ablaze each wi one or more tugs play
Ing streams of water upon it. Some OF
: these barges and lighters were loaded
with very lnhammable stuff, and the
flames leaped high in the air while the
heat was so terrific that 1t was not posi-
bic to use effectively the small hose of
the tug. So, one by one, these altars of
IRE slowly consumed, most Of them burn
ing down to the waters edge. Along the
Jersey shore small fires were blazing
started by the wreckage of the fire from
the big steamships.
Over on this si6e of the river the FIRE
caused the greatest excitement, and the
drifting steamships and barges f1oated all
af1ame to the New York shore and brush
ed against the piers from Canal to MUIR
ray streets. The fire department was call
ed out at various points along the threat
ened section and the spectacle was pre-
sented Of the firenen on shore, trying to
fight fires at every minute changing their
situation.
Were Caught In Traps.
For hours the river was crowded with
small boats Fastening to the scene Of dis
aster, or already taking part in the res
cue OF the hundreds. who had leaped into
the river when seized by the terror Of the
nsmes. These boats were padded here
and there, but soon their occupants had
nothing to do but to watch the mad sweep
| OF the flames. Those who had plunged
into the water had been rescued or had
gone to the bottom.
There were hundreds of men on each Vt
the destroyed steamships and a few wo-
men. Crowds Of dock laborers and also
employes OF the companies we're on all
che piers. Men. women and children were
on the canal boats, and men were on the
oarses and lighters, and when the hre
made its quick descent upon them, escape