Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-01
SOLDIERS HEROES
ON BURNING SHIP
Flames Break Out in Hold of the
Transport Meade In San
Francisco Harbor
THREE DEAD, OTHERS MISSING
Third Officer George Wallace Of the
Meade Among the Killed Firemen
and Members of the Crew Risk Their
Lives to Save Those in Danger =
Loss Is Heavy.

San Francisco, Feb. 1.-Flames
broke out late last night in the hold
of the transport Meade, lying at Fol-
hours. despite the efforts of the fire
department. Fully twenty men were
overcome by deadly fumes, and at
| least three men are dead, three miss
| ing, and score of others injured.
The dead:
Third Officer George Wallace, of the
Meade
B. Hennessey, city fireman
Captain Charles Dakin. city fire.
man.
| The missing:
Charles Gill.
| George Brown.
| w. Reagan, city fireman.
At 3 o'clock this morning the fire
was we'll under control, and the ship
flooded with water. The Meade was
to have sailed today for Manila with a
| thousand men of the Second infantry
and Eighth and Thirteenth batteries
of light artillery. 1t is impossible to
estimate at this hour the extent of the
damage to the ship and cargo.
The fire was practically extinguish-
ed at 4 o'clock this morning. The
| damage to the vessel is not vital. The
| fire was discovered by painter on
the main deck. He rushed to Master
at-Arms Morris, who gave the alarm
| Deeds OF thrilling heroism marked
the fire. Captain George Wilson, of
the Meade. fell down a hatchway, ard
| lay crippled and unconscious with an
1 injured shoulder, strangling amid the
fumes Of burning lime. Chief Oper-
ator Lassak and others of the crew
| threw themselves down into the hold
and managed to struggle back out Of
the pit of death, bearing Wilson with
them. Lassack himself was rescued
from death by City Fireman Joseph
Cook and an unknown man, both Of
whom took their life in their hands.
| ]. H. Dale was overcome and
injured while making an attempt to
save Third Officer Wallace from
the fate that overlook him. Wallace
comes from Sydney, Australia.
The fore part of the ship, where the
fire broke out contained the personal
effects of officers of the Second in
fantry and OF the Eighth and Thir-
| teenth batteries Of light artillery The
loss of property is confined to this part
of the vessel. Eighty thousand dollars
in gold, being carried as military
treasure to Manila, was rescued from
the ship and guarded by soldiers.
Many Thrilling Rescues.
| Captain Dakin lost his life because
of his untlinching resolution and
dauntless courage in fighting the fire.
The body was found at the foot of a
ladder and carried out. Other tremen
stated that Dakin had come out of the
hold alive after entering it, and it is
believed that enfeebled as he was by
his first attempt, he still manfully
| is thought he may have been drowned
in the hold. When the fire broke out,
Chief Sullivan was in charge of the
fire forces He opened hatch and let
a long ladder down into the hold. To
| this act of prudent foresight was due
the saving of the lives of many If
he had not done this the men over
come by fumes in the hold could not
possibly have been rescued as the
next hatch led into heavily laden coal
bunkers.
| Captain Gilbert, of the fire depart
ment, was overcome three times by
smoke returning time and again to his
work until at last he was carried away
unconscious Fireman McCloskey was
overcome by smoke and carried out,
but revived and made heroic at
tempt to save his chief. Captain Dakin,
whom he knew to be in a perilous po-
sition, almost losing his own life in his
unsuccessful effort While Hosemen
Clunie. Mattlock and Brown We're
fighting the flames in the third hold,
the former. standing nearly at the top
of the eompanionway and passing the
hose down. was overcome and fell He
was caught by Mattlock who while
endeavoring to support Clunie, was
also overcome lnd the pair fell un-
conscious at Browns feet. The latter
choked and all but ready to give up,
valiantly fought his way up the lad
| der. with the form of Clunie in his
arms and then returned for Mattlock
Brown had scarcely passed the latter
ND the ladder to outstreched arms.
when he staggered and would have
fallen but for the quick work of Hose
men. Curtin and Regan. who clutched
| the reeling man and drew him to
! safety D. Hennessy, lineman on en-
CINE No. at work in the hold, fell
into the water at 2:2O this morning
and was taken to the receiving hospi-
tai. where he died. Immediately after
the alarm of fire was given. Captain
Wilson, Third Officer Wallace and
Fourth Officer Dahl We're notified and
proceeded to investigate. They de-
scended to the first hold, where they
found the cargo on the starboard side
of the vessel burning under slow
J fire. which gave evidence of having