Los Angeles herald., 1906-02-02
MEADE FIRE HAS
MANY VICTIMS
THREE DEAD, FIFTY-ElGHT
INJURED
Tons OF Explosives on the Vessel, and
Only the Herolsm of Firemen
Prevented Disastrous
Explosion
BY Associated Press.

BY Associated Press.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 1.-Three
dead and fifty-eight injured, mostly by
suffocation, is the record of fire that
ragged on the United States transport
Meade as she lay at the Folsom street
dock early this morning.
For three hours after midnight the
forwardshold Of the big troop ship was
a roaring furnace from which firemen
were borne in an almost continuous
stream. Relays of men promptly
stepped forward to take the places of
those who were carried sout uncon-
scious.
Tons Of high explosives were loaded
in the after part of the vessel, and
the heroic fire laddies worked with
the possibility ever before them that
the flames would reach this compart-
ment. Had this occurred the whole
city would probably have been shaken
by the terrific explosion and no man
aboard the ship would have escaped.
Owing probably to the fact that an
internal machine was found in the
bunkers of the transport Thomas on
her last voyage, the rumor was cir
culated that fiendish plot had been
laid to fire the Meade at sea, as she
was to have departed for Manila today.
Major C. A. Devol, chief of the trans
port service, is investigating this
theory with great care. He is having
the cargo taken from compartment
No. g where the fire started, with n
view to discovering the real cause of
the disaster. The flames did not
spread from compartment No. g. Dock
Captain Dunn gave it as his opinion
of laa off ha1 oh
matches in their trunks and that these
were ignited in loading.
The surprising fact developed late
today that the property loss amounted
to only $25. This was the estimate
by Maj. Devol. When the water had
been pumped from the hold and the
debris removed it was ascertained that
the fire had been confined to a space
about six feet square. There was very
little flame, the fire being Of a smold-
ering variety that emitted great vol
umes of smoke. There were fears tina t
some of the officers effects had been
destroyed, but investigation showed
these goods to be safe.
-. 1t Is believed by some of the oticia S
that the fire was due to spontaneous
combustion of gun oil and cotton.
and it is thought that after cleaning
the weapons the men had carelessly
tossed the oil-soaked waste into a heap.
A board of inquiry has been appointed
to make an investigation. 1t consists
of Capt. w. L. Simpson, Q. NJ. D.;
Capt. A. z. Williams, Second infantry
and Lieut.. L. Cabell Fourteenth infan-
try. The Meade will sail Saturday for
the orient.
The dead:
=, CAPT. CHARLES DAKIN of San
Francisco fire engine company No. 4.
Fell unconscious into the water of the
hold and was drowned. Leaves a widow
and son.
TIOSEMAN THOMAS HENNESSEY
of engine company No. 4. Suffocated
to death while fighting the fire in the
hold. Leaves a widow and three chill
dren.
THIRD OFFICER GEORGE WAL
LACE of the transport Meade. Suf-
focated while climbing a ladder from
the hold and fell back unconscious,
dying short time later. Was 25 years
of age and a native of Sydney, N.
S. w.
The injured:
All suffered terribly from suffocation.
Chief Sullivan of the fire department..
Capt. George Wilson of the transport
Meade. Shoulder broken.
First officer Lasak of the transport
Meade.
Fourth officer Dahl of the transport
Meade.
Capt. Sewell Of engine No. 9.
Battalion Fire Chief I. N Fernandez.
Lieut.. w. s. Boynton of truck 8.
Capt. Jerry Sullivan, acting battalion
chief.
Lieut., A. Matlock.
John Gilbert, acting captain engine 12
j. McCloskey.
Gabriel Cuneo.
Charles Gill, operator for Engineer
Fernandez.
Morris Fireman. of the transport
service.
Alexander Lack of the Meade crew.
Members of the fire department:
George Brown, w. Reagan, ]. O'Neil,
]. Daily, ]. Coleman, j. Quinn, w.
O'Keefe, L. Cook, Capt. j. Conlan,
Capt Robert Wood, L. ONeil N.
Mathewson, T. Devine, r. Cashen, J..
Bridgewood, j. E1ealy, f. Kenney, r.
Harrigan, George Hartman, J. Ticknor,
G.. Carew. George Stolzenwald, S. c.
II. Dougherty, Frank Kenny, Harry
Brown, Henry Gull, Fl. CARRIER, George
Wells, James Campbell, Robert Mont
gomery, A. Rafferty,. George Hellriegell,
G.. Logan, ]. Collins, A. Lohres. j.
Kirby A. Butler, G. Lenahan, j. Dali
lette, e. Cosgrave, W. Seaman, Richard
Curtin.
The cause of the fire is unknown, al
though many theories have been adj
vanced. Maj. Devol, chief of the tran
snort service here, Is making q thor