The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-05-08
8UR n OF THE
Z. Spence de Pue

Inc waterman stared anTaQ win the calm CON-
tempt of a strong man for a weaker one.
A scream at their rear, and they turned to see one
of the giant fire tugs bearing down upon them. In a
moment it passed by. so close that they could touch
it, a splendid mass Of floating machinery, with the
men already twisting the nozzles into position.
Captain Moran and his companion had the whole
of the open bay to themselves now. the last of the
fire fighters having just passed. On the one side were
the wharves with their close-packed hundreds Of
vessels and the dark. shielded docks; on the other side
was the vast reach of the bay with its scattered craft,
but nothing else was moving.
Rapidly they approached the blaze. which lighted
the whole lower harbor now. the great mass of flame
shooting up into the air Enthusiastically now in tongues
of flame that reached for the dome of heaven, then in
solid banks. 1t was quickly evident that the fire had
started on the outer end of the long wharf. The shed
was burning, the heavy planked floor was burning,
even the piles were afre to the edge of the tapping
water. On either side the dock and also nearer the
shore end were. ocean liners; the one nearest the
launch, iron monster though it was. was a mass of
flame in its upper works. Everywhere was noise and
confusion. Busy tugs pulled their m~ightiest, belc,.ing
forth clouds of smoke as they tried with feverish hurry
to move the p%onderous masses of iron away from the
burning pier.
They were near enough now that they could hear
the thousand voices of the fire; the crash of pieces of
shed, the clank and puff of engines under forced
draft. throwing their thousands of gallons of water on
the FIRE; and Others striving to tear the stubborn vessels
from the dock.
The little man stood on the forward deck shading
his eyes with his hand, staring Spellbound. Captain
Moran stared too. his hard old face as lighted by the
yellow-rcd light seemed almost eager.
There, there, don't YOU see all the stuff piled up
at this end?" cried the little man, pointing. "Silk and
tea. and God knows what else: and all of 'em too crazy
to save any of it,
The waterman did not answer; he had his eyes on
the plumber too, and was staring into the gloomy shed
as best he could, noting the ebb and flow of humanity
that seethed back and forth on that part of the wharf.
They were very near the wharf by this time. but q
great iron hulk lay between them and it, that was just
at this moment beginning to move slowly away from
the doomed structure. two sturdy tugs working at il
with might and main.
A dense. suffocating bank of smoke rolled down
upon them, then lifted quick as it had come and was
followed by 4 blast of heat that caused the paint on
the launch to peel up in an instant. and made the two
men put their hands to their faces with cNclamations
of pain. The little boat backed water at once. got
under the lee of the moving vessel, then dashed to the
outer row of piles. Another vagary of the wind such as
that and they would soon have been done for; but
fortunately the thing did not happen again. Here
they were protected for the present from both heat and
smoke. and had a view of the lighted bay with its
hustle and noise and confusion.
Captain MOrain, his eyes glIstening, his nostrils a
little dilated, eagerly watched the battle as it ragged
between the element and the puny figures who strived
to stay its progress. He swung to the wharf with a
boat hook. running his shrewd old eyes over every
thing. then turned abruptly on his companion. "Itu
work this way fast" he said. Show me what you've
got"