Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-03
SCORES OF BODIES
Being Recovered from the Ho-
boken, N. J., Fire Horror.
Sixty-seyen Taken from Wrecks and
Grappled from River.
Most Not Recognizable List Still Esti.
mated at Nearly 800.

North river is the horrible evidence
tonight. of the disaster at the docks O
the North German Lloyd STEAMSHIP
Co. in Hobolen. Each hour that pass
es witnesses additional recoveries o
bodies. scared. MANNED and burned be
yOnd all semblance of human flesh
And the half has not yet been told, al
all of the bodies brought to the sur.
face, today, We're caught on graphing
hooks. About the first of next week
people will realize the appalling loss 81
life. as it will then be time for the
bodies that are now lying at the bot
tom of the river to come to the surfaC,
of the water through natural agencies
The list of missing is still placed just
below the 300 mark.
The bodies recovered up to II O'Clock
tonight. include IL now in O'Donncn's
undertaking establishment in Ho-
boken: 10 at Hoffmann's of the same
city. l. in the morgue in New York
and four on the decks Of the Saale
which We're received too late. tonight
to be brought to either city. OF these
81 have been either positively Or part
~ identified, most of them so far as
has been discovered, being victims
from the steamship Saale.
Twenty-one of these identifications
We're made by Second Officer Sanders
of the Saale, who was helped in the
task by firemen. coal passerS. machin-
lists and other employees of the five yes
sells. Those who will undoubtedly
swell the list of the dead are the 24O
odd men from the steamships, includ-
ing officers. Sub-oficerS. Seamcn, oil
crs. machinsts. coal nassers and trim
mers. The greater loss. of course. be-
decks and could not get to the open
before the flames choked them back
and the heavy falling debris beat them
down to their death. Of these the
greater part are foreigners and the
lists Of their names are being checked
off by the Steamship COS officers as
soon as any Identification can be made.
Then. too. there are some 81 people
who were on canal boats. lighters and
about the docks in various capacities.
The North German Lloyd Co, TODAY
was a great, hopeless cripple for the time
being. Her two ships, the Bremen and
Main, smoked all day long; the Saale
was just beginning to show the effects
of the wreckins steamers struggles. but
the four great docks smouldered in the
hot sun. giving off the sitting odor of its
burnt wood and smouldering merchan-
disc.
The four docks with that of the Thang-
long. charred arms of some great body
rrhi lob,
last hours of life. Rising above the
whole mass is still heavy cloud OF
smoke that tells of much fire and heat
remaining in the ruins.
The general agent of the North Ger
man Lloyd Co., Gustav H. Schwab. was
at his temporary office in Hoboken most
Of the day trying TO straighten out the
seemingly hopeless situation. He could
not form any exact estimate of the losses
as yet, but the company was doing all it
could to get itself out of the tangle. II
sent money down to the docks and dished
it out to the survivors as if it had been
so much water. Over $1,000 in cash was
given to the men. today, and suits of
cheap, but new and clean. were
given to every man that asked for them
Food and shelter was also provided for
The companys men.
Supt. Moeler of the North German
Lloyd Line. late tonight. returned from
his trip to the various vessels that lay
n the river. Concerning the general sit
Iation at this hour he said:
THE steamship Bremen can be re-
laired without a great outlay. She
burned until O'Clock tonight. when the
asst trickle of flame was stined.
The steamship Main is still on fire ana
5 burning in holds No. and S. believe
he ship will be a total loss.
THE Saale lies deep in the water. The
boats started at work on her
light away and she will probably be
ioating in several days. Several port
roles were shut and water was pumped
tut of her as fast possible. She was
aised about u feet, but is still so far
nder that there can be no estimate as
o how badly she is damaged. We can
lot tell just now how far she is burned |
nut all above is practically wrecked
"All Of the steamers are now in charge !
f the wreckins companies and they Of :
curse have instructions to save as much |
the ships as they can. 1t is very hard I
ow to tell what our losses will
mount to. +
To-day. we found some 81 bodies !
round the piers, up to 6 o'clock Most
f them, so far as my Information goes,
might, were from the SaaIe."
New York, July 1.-The partially sub
lerged hulks of the huge North Ger
ian Lloyd steamers Saale, Bremen and
lain lie smoking in the upper bay and
forth river, apparently as thoroughly
'recked as the Spanish cruisers that
entured out of Santiago harbor. two
ears ago tomorrow, and like them,
old many dead within their iron sides
police patrol forbids near approach to
he sunken steamers and warns off
hose who hover about in row boats.
1t is not yet possible to state accur-
tely the number of dead, but the first
ports of the fire. which represented
lie steamers and the piers as contain I
e many visitors and prospective pas
myers, are not borne out by investi-
alton, and it seems likely that nearly