Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1906-02-02
PLOT To BURN SHIP
MEADE, A TRANSPORT
Three Men Are Destroyed as The
Result Of Fire on the i. 6.
Army Boat.
HEROIC EFFORTS SAVE VESSEL
Flames Eat Their Way Close 10 the
Compartment in Which Was Storec
the Ammunition for Troops That
Were Going to Philippines Men
and Officers Lose Belongings.

SAN FRA NCISCO. Feb. Three
lives wer" lost and IS persons were
injured in fir" which was discover
"d late last night in the hold of Tho
United States transport Meade. The
transport was to have sailed for Ma
Mia today with more Than .O00 sol.
dicrS and II cargo of 1000 IONS III
army supplies.
The vessel is lying al the Fnlsom
street dock. The fire was not entirely
eNtinsnisheh until this morning.
The property loss caused by the
fire which destroyed part Of ia,
personal Effects of The officers of tho
outgoing regiment is small. The
damage 10 the steamer itself WIN no,
be great. The Meade will p.ob
AMY sail for Manila Saturday.
Cause Of Fire Unknown.
the cause of the fire is not known.
although many theories have hcrn nd.
vanccd. Major Dcvol. chief of the
transport service here lis making n
ihoronghg investigation.
rrmor that the fire might have
ho"n the result of plot 10 blow M
Inc Meade has found no coniirmatinr.
Immediately after the alarm was
given. Captain Wilson. Third Officer
Wallace ana Fourth Officer Dahl wcr.
ho'iiied ana proceeded tn investigate.
they descended 10 the first holi
whereby found The cargo on The stan.
board side of the vessel burning n
slow fire. ana the hold chokc,l with
smoke.
Captain Nearly Suffocated.
The captain fell limp and Wal.
lace and Dahl picked him up ana ca.
ricd him TO his cabin. where the shin;
surgeons with great difficulty revived
him.
Wallace and Dahl again descended
To the second hold after directing
hat an alarm Of fire be sent In from
he wharf. Both were carried 10 IN,
deck hy iircmen but Wallace soon
died.
IL required the united efforts OF
many engine companies aided hy the
IRE tugs To sMbiuc the fire.
Ammunition on the Craft.
The ammunition was stored in com.
partmenl No. &. next to the last on
the boat. while the fire began in No.
compa'tmcnt we'll forward. The
flames. however, at o'clock this
morning cut through No. :! compart,
mcnt and No. and ate their way To.
words the hold where the explosives
were stored. Then Captain Wilson.
who was lying unconscious in the en-.
bin was carried ashore and sent Ia
the harb0r hospital. He was smIfcrine
from bad burns in addition to his IN
imred shoulder.
Gold on the Boat
SSG.o00 in gold being carried ms mil
Harry treasure to Manila was rescued
frcm the ship and guarded by sol
dicrs. Lines of soldiers also guarded
the entrance to the dock.
Captain Dakin of the fire depart.
mcnl lost his life because of his daunl.
less courage in fighting the fire. Ills
h0dy was found at the foot of la!.
der. II is thought h may have been
drowned in the hole TO the actica
of acting Chief Sullivan in opening II
hatch and letting a long ladder down
into the hold. is due to the saving of
me lives of many. The men overcome
IN the held could not otherwise have
been rescued. as the next hatch lei
into the heavily laden coal bnnkcrs.
Captain Gilbert OF the fire depart.
mnt was carried away unconscious
tiremen McCloskey was overcome
by smoke and carried out. biit revived
ana made heroic attempt to save
his chief. Captain Dakin