The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-02-28
WEATHER FORECAST. wash1nxtsa, Feb. 77-For Alabama, Fair Tues1ay and Wednesday, light west wine@

L E. l ships were lying at the docks when tue fire started and all except two escaped without damage. The Indian of the Leyland Line had her rails. cabin hou-s. masts. etc, wiped off clean, and the Cycle was burned about her brow and sides All the tugs in the harbor that had steam up hurried to the scene when the fire started and by heroic efforts succeeded in pulling the steamers into the river out of reach of the flames.
 Gpentaneous Combustion.
 Superintendent O. M Dunn directed the forces of the railroad company for several hours and when the fire was under control went to the offices of tho company, where he spent the night in wire communication with oficials east and west. and in setting the lines for cleaning the wreckage away. He said that 1T vas probable that the piers. ele- vators and sheds could be restored within . year and that they would be more expensive and substantial than those destroyed MT. Dunn said in t,is opinion the Ire originated from sponta- neous combustion
 Throughout the night and today many messages passed between the To- cal oficia1a and the head officers of the company in New York and Chicago. and arrangemente were set on foot to take to proivde for handling the export and to provide for hndling the export and import trade of the company until the docks are rebuilt. The Texas and Pa- cific has an Immense elevator at Vest wego and tkert Is also an elevator at Chalmette, the property of the Frisco. General Manager Preston of the latter. immediately rendered the use of the Chalmette property to the Illinois Gen. tral and It is probable the traffic will be handled at that point.
 In addition to the railroad property the fire destroyed the Crescent Ice Com pany's plant. many small stores and large number of small residences, and many pathetic scenes were witnessed as the poor occupants of them strug- gled to save thir small belongings at the risk of their lives.
 The fire will temporarily throw out of work large number of employees. but this loss will be compensated hv the very much larger number that will days In clearing away the debris and reconstructing the terminals at the highest attainab1e speed.
 President Kohnke and Secretary Muller of the Maratfme Association. which has charge of all grain inspec- tion here, had conferences today with view to determining what steps if any might be necessary to avoid the diversion of any traffic from this city. During the day they announced that they had assurances that the Illinois Central would increase its former sa- cilities and the work would be accom- plished In the shortest time possible for human hands to do 1t.
 Tn the meantime," Mir. Muller said. ''the splendid facilities along the river front and the elevators at westego and Chalmette arc available and ample for all business offering. There still re- maine several miles of the finest wharf, age facilities Nvhfch can handle RN the cotton sugar land other freight we would ordinarily have for export"
 Railroad officials here are still uii- able to give any actual figures of the total loss. Superintendent -Dunne thought 1t might not run much over s3.000.00o. but other officials of 4e road believe Mir. Dunne too conserve tive and think s+.ooo.ooo will be nearer the mark.
 Second Vice-Presldent Harahan and other Illinois Central chiefs will be here tomorrow and in the meantime skilled labor in various parts of the country Is being communicated with.
 Figures posted on the cotton ex- change, made the total loss of cotton roughly 10000 bales. Some cotton ad- dItionally was damaged and some was saved.