Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-16
HUNDREDS PERISH
= = ~ No aas
in BLAZING SHlP
MANY OF CHINESE PAssEN
GERS ARE BURNED TO DEATH
AND CARGO LOST
Three Thousand People Are on the
Steamer as She Is Moored to the
Wharf-Many ..re Burned Beyond
Recognition-At Hong Kong.

HOngkong, Oct 15.-The British
steamer Hanliow, from Canton, was
burned yesterday while lying along
side Its wharf Hundreds Of Chinese
passengers were burned to death and
valuable cargo was destroyed. All
the European passengers and the crew
were saved
The steamer, with 1000 Chinese pas
sengers-men, woman and children
and seven Europeans and cargo in
cluding 300 bales of mating, $50 bales
of raw silk, and 400 bales Of waste
silk, arrived at Canton at 3 o'clock
In the morning and was shortly after
wards moored to the wharf.
The chief officer reported to Capt.
Branch that the ship was afire. The
captain at once directed the chief en-
gineer to turn on the water through
the fire hose. This was impossible for
reason that within five minutes after
the alarm was given the Hankow was
ablaze fore and aft.
Crew FIees From Ship.
Capt. Branch then awakened the
European passengers, who rushed
down the gangway, the women in their
n1gnt clothes.
The crew were compelled to leave
the ship, which by this time was a
veritable furnace. The Chinese steer
age passengers were thrown into a
frightful panic. Horrifying shrieks
and cries to save their lives were
heard, but escape was impossible ow-
ing to the in1ammable nature Of the
cargo.
Hundreds were burned to death and
many others jumped. into the harbor
and were drowned.
Ship Turned Into Furnace.
Responding to signals from the Brit
ish cruiser Flcra, the naval dock dis
patched contingents Of engines and as
sistance. The land and floating brig.
ade of firemen made herculean efforts
to extinguish the flames, which leaped
to a height Of over sixty feet,
The British steamer Pow Ap, which
was berthed at tie same wharf, was
towed out to save 1t from destruction
A neighboring pier, 100 yards distant,
was burned to the waters edge.
Gov. Nathan, accompanied by his
aid de camp, arrived at the scene at
+. lo d. ILL., HOV. 4Ndllldu SuSSSSJSu
scuttling the snip, but the suggestion
was found to be impracticable.
Vessel Burned to Waters Edge.
The fire was brought under control
at 6 o'clock a. NJ, at which time only
the shell and hull Of Tie Hankow re-
mained. The grewsome work of re
covering, the dead was then begun.
In few minutes the fire fighters
had recovered se1 enty-five corpses
Many of them were huddled together
and only singed, while others were
incinerated beyond recognition. OF
the cargo 200 bales of raw silk were
saved, but badly damaged by water
The remainder was totally destroyed.
There are many theories as to the
cause of the Ire. The first is that the
fire was caused by the overturning OF
the lantern Of Chinese boarding
house runner, who came aboard seek.
ing customers. The second was that
an opium smoker accidently set fire
to mating, the third is that it was
caused by the crossin.-: of electric
wires.
A fourth theory and one that is con.
sidered the most probable, is that the
fire was incendiary and was an out
grow of a boycott against British river
boats.