The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-02-28
FIVE MILL IONS
LOST IN FLAMES
Ten Squares of Wharves
and Sheds Blaze.
A VAST FIRE SUNDAY
Yesterday 1t Was Still Smouldering in
Ruins of the illinois Central Docks
and Engines Were On the
Scene PROTECTING Nearby
Property.
(By the Associated Press )


New Orleans, Feb. 27.-Complet(
figures of the loss involved in the de-
struction of the Stuyvesant docks ol
the Illinois Central. it was announced
by local officials of the company to-
day, will not be available until an in-
spection OF the books of the docks is
finished Fortunately all of these
were saved.
Today LEGAL Freight Agent Cousins
and his office force went to work on
them and Mr.. Cousins announced to-
night that it might be possible to-
morrow to give the result. The value.
OF the WharyeS, sheds. warehouses.
elevators and trackage is known
roughly, but the number of cars and
the quantity of merchandise Destroy
ed cannot be given until the inspec-
ton is concluded. In the meantime
estimates Of the loss vary between
Superintendent Dunn's figures of $3,-
100000 ana General Freight Agent
Perkins aggregate of $5.00O.0OO. Tho
ruins of the fire smouldered all day
and two engines We're kept at the
scene TO protect surrounding residen-
tial property. Including the Crescent
ice plant. the police have compiled a
list of approximately forty buildings.
mostly occupied by laborers which
were destroyed with an estimated loss
of $i0o,0 900. Earlier estimates of the
damages to shipping were modified
today, the principal sufferer being The
Leyland Liner Indian Head. on which
the loss is $4,000.
Hau,pereI by Closed Streets.
The officials of the fire department
said today that the fire might have
been extinGuished in its inception II
the streets leading to the docks had
not been closed by authority of the
council and long lines of freight cars
had rot been packed on the tracks.
1t was impossible for either the CT
e;ineer or the firemen to get through
until TOO late to be of service. Chief
O'Connor said one of the results OF
the fire would doubtless be to force
the city to provide q modern fire boat
for the harbor. He said the disaster
could have been ayerted if there had
been one.
Some distress is reported among the
poorer classes who lost their belong
ings. The local cll" Tity organization
society has asked fog funds to relieve
it.
President Fish. of the Illinois Cen
tral. was reported today to be at Palm
Beach. Local officials do not expect
him here. Vice-President Harahan
and other officials are on their way
from Chicago and will be here at noon
tomorrow They will have full au
thority 10 handle the situation and
discuss plans for the immediate clear
ing away of the wreckage, the re-
opening of the temporary tracks on
the river and provisions for handling
the grain business of the Illinois Gen.
trail until the docks are restored. The
local exchanges and business interests
will cooperate with Mr.. Harahan in
lnt hf,r ba n
diversion OF traffic now coming here
over the road.
No Loss of Life.
No one is missing and it is gener-
ally believed that the fire was with no
loss of life.
Conservative estimates of the figures
for the Immediate loss by the fire
are $4,000, ,000. divided as follows:
Two elevators. warehouses, sheds,
$2.500.000: $4,000 bales of cotton,
100000; 700 600 bushels grain. $3.50
900: $1,000 barrels sugar. $300.0 600:
cotton seed cake. 1870 car loads, $97,-
800; lumber $16,625: cement. $780,
$50: meal, 20 ears. $4,000; sundries,
$15o.000: five hundred freight cars,
$4,000; ships damaged, $4,000; city
fire department, two engines and six
horses, $4,000; private property and
other damages, $216.000.
The railroad company carried its
own insurance and the contents Of the
various elevators and sheds were in
surcd in local and foreign agencies.
The wharves covered 4.750 feet.
over q distance of ten blocks. OF this
wharfage $500 feet and what it con-
taIned was destroyed, and the re-
mainder at the upper end of the
terminals being saved through the
fact that the wind blew strongly in
the opposite direction.
The destroyed wharf cost $500.000.
Elevator 3D. leased TO Harris Scott
4: Company, of Chicago. cost $500, 900.
when built. and elevator 'E'' which
WAS operated by the Illinois Central,
cost 100000.
By The Skin of The Teeth.
There were many narrow escapes
of those who We're engaged in fight
Ing the flames, owing TO its rapid
srr"ad, and lives We're constantly en-
daugcred by debris of all kinds that
WAS whirlcd through the air The cs-
cape of two fire engines was cut off
and their crews had to run for their
lives. driver. Charles Richardson. of
No. 6, being painfully hurt
The fire started in the conveyors
To- elevator ID" 1t spread with re-
nlarkablc rapidity, sparks dropping
iutc oil barrels on the wharf and cx-
tending the DANES in every direction
Ten ships were lying at the docks
When the fire started and all except
two escaped without damages The
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