The Washington times., 1906-06-13
Shipping Destroyed by
Blaze Recalling Great
Conflagration.
STEAMER ESSEX BURNED
City Warehouse, on Block
Street, and Dozens of
SCOWS Destroyed.

BALTIMORE. Nd. June ia.-rhree
lives were Lost and damage estimated at
s., 10000 was done to docks and shipping
in a fire which destroyed the Savannah
wharf of the Merchants and Miners
transportation Company early this
morning.
Essex s crew. are:
Edward Atkinson. Baltimore. captains
cabin assistant.
John Costello. Baltimore. second stew
ard.
Manuel Odello. fireman. residence un-
known. head burned OF.
Five other men were rescued with diff
Guilty by the tug Mary. two Of them mar
rowly escaping death In the flames or
drowning. as they were forced to make
flying leaps 70 the rescuing vessel from
the deck OF the Essex as the former
boat pulled away from the burning
steamer. They are:
John Claypool. Baltimore.
Richard Bamber. Pawtucket. r.
Charles McCOmmon. Baltimore
Peter Hagan. 172 Washington street.
Brooklyn. y. Y.
Nicholson Connolly. Baltimore.
Started on a Scow.
The FIRE started at 30 a. m. on a scow
lying 10 the east Of the wharf. alongside
Of which was a dredging machine. Tho
fire made quick headway. and before
many minutes had elapsed the entire
wharf. which is $50 feet long, was IN a
solid mass q 9a.9es. ---,=...
The steamer Essex. which arrived in
port several nights ago. and which was
half unloaded. was lying alongside OF
the south end OF the wharf. She caught
fire and was tOwed out into the har-
Dor burning flerceIy. and at S O'Clock
nothing remained OF her but a batter
ed hull
Eight scOws and barges that were
also lying alongside Of the wharf wer,
ignited at once and were soon compIete-
" destroyed. A number OF them yyer4
towed into midstream so as 10 prevent
them from setting fire to adjoining
pronert~ The barges and scoxs were
loaded with cotton and rosin.
Fire Caused Panic.
The residents Of houses on the north
side Of Block street, facing tho Ivba-,
were panic-stricken. and for a vbIIa
1t looked as though their homes were
doomed.
Two old women who were I'll Me-
o Neiil and Mrs. Wells, residing at I1s0
Block street. locked themselves In and
policemen had to break into the house
and carry them out. They yera tala-
TO the city hospital
The EsseV IS chip Of 2oOo tons .,d
Is valued at S3Oc.O How much cs-e,o
was on her is not known. but The a..
age VIII approximate nearly half a nil
non The total loss viii probably a ar,o-1y1+
TO near 900 as the piers Vzern I'M
stocked with goods OF all kinds and de-
scriptOnS. ~
Rosin Fed the Flames.
The Essex arrived Yesterday t-o-,
Savannah with a miscellaneous cargo
which had been only partly unIoade5
In few minutes after the fro broLa
out the great freight shed. frans
structure four hundred feet long and
varying IN width from 30 to 100 feet
which was packed with mercbanlIisa
was on fire There IS a ffve-storv bric,-
storage house adjoining which aIso no,
gan to burn within a few minutes
One of the barges lying at +ba r.ba-s
was loaded with barrels OF rosin ans
this is believed to be responsible for tha
Essex taking fire. as It was directly he
side her The streams of water dIrecte5
on the barge had practically no effect
Block street Is one Of the old streets
of the city. and while it is now chiefly
a street lined with wharves and lumber
yards there are still a few old dwellings
standing. Several of these We're near
the wharf and were IN constant danger
during the fire.
Wharf Belonged to City.
The wharf destroyed was the proper+v
OF the city having been purchased from
the steamship company after the con-
flagratiOn here in 1904. when it was de-
termined TO make extensive dock i'm
provements; it was leased by the COM
pany from the city The Merchants and
Miners property is partly insured.
The steamer Essex was one of the
oldest steamers of the Merchants and
Miners line, having been built in 1885.