The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-07-01
DETAILS of THE FIRE.
Flames Started So Suddenly Many
People Were Probably Cut of.

be learned tonight the flames started
among large pile of cotton bales on Pier
2, of the North German Lloyd Steamship
Company. and spread with such remark
able rapidity that in fifteen minutes the
entire property of the company, taking in
over third of a mile of water front. and
consisting Of three great piers was COM
pletely enveloped in huge blaze that sent
great clouds of smoke high up into the air.
The flames started so suddenly and
gained such headway that the people on
the piers and on the numerous vessels
docked were unable to reach the street.
There were great gangs Of workmen on the
piers, and these, together with a number
of people who were at the docks on business
and visiting the ships, scattered in all di-
rections. AS all means of exit were cut off
by the flames they were forced to jump
overheard, and it is believed great num-
Der Of people were drowned.
at the docks of the North German Lloyd
were the Saale, single screw passenger
steamer of 1885 gross tons; the Bremen.
a twin screw passenger and freight Of 1885
tons, and the Main, twin screw freight
and passenger steamer of 1O.2OO gross tons.
They all caught fire and were burned to
the waters edge. The Kaiser Wilhelm der
Crosse, which had just come in, was the
only one of the four big vessels at the dock
that escaped. The loss of the crews of
these vessels is said to reach 100.
A SMALL STREAK OF FIRE.
The fire was first discovered by watch
man the pier at 4 o'clock. He saw
small streak of flame shoot from bale
of Gotten on pier No. 2, at which was
docked the steamer Saale. He Immediately
sent in an alarm. In a few minutes the
flames had extended to the steamship and
were communicated TO the adjoining pier
on the north. Here docked the Kaiser Will
helm der Crosse and the Main. Tugs were
Immediately made fast to the big Kaiser
Wilhelm der Crosse and she was got out
into midstream with safety. although badly
scorched at the bows The steamship
Main. however. was doomed, as the flames
lad already become so fierce on the north
side of the pier that no tug could ap-
proach the vessel. Then by shift in the
wind, the flames were sent in the direction
of pier No. !, which was to the south of
pier No. 2. To the north OF pier No. 1
line. at which the steamship Phoenicia
a twin-screw passenger steamer of 6,761
gross tons. was docked. The flames got a
good hold on the Phoenicia, and she was
towed out into midstream ablaze.
The fire had by this time become so
fierce that the officials of the Hamburg
American line decided that the only way to
prevent a total destruction of their great
pier was to blow up the sides of the dock
at which the Phoenicia lay, and this was
done. A number of barges docked at the
pier also took fire, but in the effort to save
the other property no attention was paid
10 them and they were allowed to burn.
LOSS PROBABLY FRIGHTFUL.
1t is feared that the loss Of life in the
hold of the vessels was frightful, as it is
said that many of the crews were asleep
at the time they were imprisoned there.
The worst tale will come from the steam
| ship Main. which was unable to be towed
| from the pier. The vessel had only arrived
this morning and some Of the passengers
were still on board, and when the cry of
fire was raised a number of them were
seen TO run to the burning decks. Most of
| them jumped overheard, and, save for the
| lew WHO WtIe piChtu up Dy the tugs,
| not one has been heard from, although ev-
cry hotel and hospital in the city is crowd
ed with injured. Some of the passengers of
the Main tried to escape to the pier, end
it was almost certain that they perished
| in the flames.
There was panic on each of the ships
Many persons jumped overheard and the
water for some distance along the docks
was lined with people. They were clinging
| TO the piers and even to the rudders of
| the burning vessels. Some were picked up;
| many were drowned. Peter Quinn, a JUS
| tice of the peace in Hoboken. tells a story
| of having seen at least thirty people perish.
| He said: II was standing on the end of
| one of the Hamburg-American line piers
and saw about thirty people crowded under
| pier No. l of the North German Lloyd.
They were calling to some of the passing
| tug boats, but their appeals were in vain.
and when the flames got near them they
| dived into the water. There was no assist
ance near them at the time and believe
that every one of them drowned or per-
| ished in the fiames.'
| About two hundred people were rescued
at the Hamburg-American line pier. They
| soon revived with stimulants.
When the fire broke out such headway
was gained by the time the Hoboken fire
| department arrived that they were utterly
| helpless to cope with the flames. They
were further handicapped by having sew
| eral hundred feet of hose burned. Calls
were made to the New York fire department
| for assistance and five tugs were sent over.
! These, however, had little effect on the
great mountain of flame and smoke.
BIG BUILDINGS ABLAZE.
| BY Z o'clock the three piers of the North
| German Lloyd Steamship Company had
| been burned to the ground. The southern
end of the Campbell Storage Company
| building. consisting of five five-story struc-
lures. caught fire and flames shot from ev-
| cry window from the two floors in but a
| few minutes. The buildings. being filed
| mainly with jute and whisky. burned rap
| idly. The firemen were unable to go within
! lighting distance and the fire had pretty
| much its own way there. In these build
| ings great loss will be sustained.
| The steamships Saale and Bremen, after
| being pulled free from the docks, We're
! towed ablaze down the bay and beached off
| Liberty island. On the Bremen, as she
1 biazad ont in, 81 man oo,,Id t,.