Fort Mill times. [volume] (Fort Mill, S.C.) 1892-current, 1900-07-04
FIRE AT HOBOKEN.
Four Ocean Liners Burned TO tile Wa
ter'S Edge.
THREE GREAT PIERS DESTROYED
A Fire That Starts In Bales of Cotton
Results in Fearful Loss of Life and
Property.

New York. Special.-The four great
piers of the North German Lloyd Line
in Hoboken were totally destroyed by
hre Saturday afternoon. The passen-
ger steamship Saale, the freight and
passenger steamship Maine and the
freight and passenger steamship Bre-
men Of the North German LLOYD Line.
were burned TO the waters edge. The
Hamburg Line steamship Phoenicia. a
passenger steamship. was also burned
to the waters edge.
Campbell's storage warehouses on
the opposite side of the street. five BIZ
buildings in all and each five stories
high were also burned. The loss at the
present time is roughly estimated at
$4,000 goo.
From what can be learned the flames
started among large pile of cotton
bales on Pier No ., Of the North Ger
man Lloyd Steamship Company and
spread with such remarkable rapiditv
that in fifteen minutes the entire prop
erty OF the company. taking in over
4 third of mile of water front and
consisting OF three great piers, was
completely onvelOped in n huge blaze
that sent great clouds OF smoke high
up into the air. The flames started so
suddenly and gained such headwav
that the people on the piers and on
the numerous vessels docked were nm
able to reach the street. There were
great gangs of workmen on the piers
ana these together with n number Of
people who were at the docks on bust
ness and visiting the ships scattered
IN all directions. AS all means OF exit
We're cut OFF by the flames they were
forced to jump overheard and no doubt
great numSer of people were drown
ed. At the docks for the North Ger
man Lloyd were the Saale, n single
screw passenger steamship of 1866
gross tons; the Bremen a twin screw
passenger and freight steamer of TO-
526 tons and the Main, a twin screw
freight and passenger steamer of 10
200 gross sons. They all caught fl re
and were burned to the waters edge.
The Kaiser VI helm der Crosse, which
had just come in, was the only one of
the four big vessels at the dock thar
escaped.
The fire was discovered bv n
watchman on the pier at four o'clock.
He saw small streak of flame shoot
from bale of cotton on Pier No ..
at which was docked the steamer
Saale. He Immediately sent in an
alarm.
In few minutes the flames had ex-
tended to the steamship and were com
munlcated to the adjoining pier on the
north Here were docked the Kaiser
Wilhelm der Crosse and the Main
Tugs were Immediately made fast to
the big Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse
and she was gotten out into mid
stream with safety although badly
scoFched at the bows. The steamship
MIN however was doomed. as the
flames had already become so fierce ON
the northside of the pier that no tug
could approach the vessel. Then. by a
shift in the wind the flames were sent
in the direction Of Pier No. /. which
was to the south end of Pier No. .. To
the north OF Pier No. | was the dock of
the Hamburg American Line, at which
the steamship Phoenicia a twin screw
passenger steamer of 7.761 gross tons
was docked. The flames got good
hold on the Phoenica. and she was
towed out into midstream ablaze.
Ihe officials of tie Hamburg Amer
lcan Line then decided that the only
way TO prevent a total destruction OF
their great pier was TO blow I'D the
alde OF The dock at which the Phoenicia
lay, and this was done. A number of
DargeS docked at the pier also took
hre, but in the effort to save the other
property. no attention was paid 10
them and they were allowed TO burn
It IS feared that the loss of life i'm the
holds of the vessels was frighrful. and
IL is said that many Of the crews who
were asleep al the time were imprson-
ed there The worst tale will come
from the steamship Main. which was
unable TO be towed from the pier.
The vessel had only arrived in the
morning and some passengers were
still on board and when the cry OF ire
was raised number OF them NVre seen
to run 20 the burning decks. Most OF
yhem jumped overheard. and. save for
the few who were picked up by she
tugs not enc has been heard from. al
though every hotel and hospital in the
city Of HobOken Is crowded with in
jured.
Some of the passengers of the Main
tried 10 escape to the pier. and it was
almost certain that they penshed in
the flames. There was panic on each
of the ships. Many persons jumped
overheard and The water for some dis
tance 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. Justice
OF the peace in Hoboken, tells a story