Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-01
FIRE ON A TRANSPORT
RACED for Hours on the Meade
at San Francisco.
20 OVERCOME BY FUMES
Ship Was to Have Sailed With 1000
Men for Manila.
THREE ARE REPORTED DEAD
Vessel Had on Board 5000 Tons OF
Commissary and Quartermaster
Supplies for Philippines.
THREE ARE REPORTED DEAD

which was discovered late last
night in the hold of the United
States transport Meade. The trans
port was to have sailed for Manila
today with more than 1000 sol
diers and a cargo of 5000 tons of
army supplies.
The vessel is lying at the Folsom street
dock and despite the efforts of the city
department. which promptly came to the
aid of the officers and crew. the fire was
not entirely eXtinguished until this morn
ing. The damage to the vessel was not
vital
The dead are: Fire Captain Charles
Dakin of engine No. /; Third officer G.
Wallace of the Meade; Hoseman Thomas
HenHessy. engine No. /, married
The injured are: Capt. George Wilson of
the Meade shoulder broken: Battalion
Chief Fernandez of the fire department:
Lieut. John Gilbert of engine No. IL: Cant.
D. r. Sewel of engine No. u; Lieut. A
Matilock of Engine No A. First Officer
Iassak of the Meade; H. Dale of the
United States transport service; Louis
Sook, fireman truck No. /; Gabriel Cuneo.
hreman; Alex. Lack of the Meade's crew;
Morris Friedman Of tie transport service;
Fl. }. McCloskey Of engine No J.
Others whose names have. not We! been
aSSertdlned were more or less injured
Inc Following are reported as missing.
ShaIIes I'm operator for Chief Fernandez:
George BrowG. fireman, engine No -: w
t'deStn. hTeman, engine No II
The First Discovery
he Iact that the vessel was on fire was
first discovered by a painter on the main
deck. He rushed to Msster-at-Arn.s Nor
ris' who gave the alarm and aroused Sail
irgmaster Wilson
Alarms were then hurriedIv turna5 T.
from the boxes in the vicinity
deeds OF thrilling heroism marked the
hre. capt George Wilson of the Meade fell
uown a hatchway and lay crippled ard un-
conscious with an injured shoulder.
Chlef operator Lassak and others of the
crew threw themselves down into the hold
6ad managed to struggle back out Of the
death pit, bearing Wilson, who was re-
moved to berth out of reach of the flames.
ana there attended to. Lassak was himself
INSSeGea rom death by Joseph Cook of truck
NO ana an unknown man, both of whom
TOOK their lives in their hands ] II Dale
or the United States transport service wa
W oFeaeoihe ION % ana injured while trying in vain
70 save Third Officer Wallace WallaCe's
nome was in Sydney Australia
Loss in Fore Part of Ship.
The fore part of the ship, where the fire
broke out. contained the personal effects of
the officers of the I'd Infantry and of the
o'h ana 18th Batteries of Light Artillery
and the loss Of property was confined to
this part Of the vessel
me fear of an explosion prevailed but
.HIs Gld not deter the firemen. though
they knew there was a quantity of am
munltion on board. The ammunition vas
stored in compartment No. & next IN tbe
iSst on the boat, while the fire began in
no. compartment, well forward The
nIaihes; however, at O'Clock had cut
ruIough 40. compartment and No. 4. and
We're eating their way toward the hold
Nhefe the explosives were stored. The ut
most energies of those in charge were di-
dec,ea rec toward flooding this compartment
ana cutting II off by volume of water
from the encroachment Of the flames
Nheh II was seen that the flames were
eating their way aft Capt Wilson, who
was lying injured and unconscious in a
berth in the cabin, carried ashore and
was sent to the harbor hospital He was
sanering from bad burns in addition to
his injured shoulder.
$4,000 in Gold Rescued.
Eighty thousand dollars in gold. being
carried as military treasure to Manila. was
rescued from the ship and guarded by
soldiers. Lines of soldiers also guarded
the entrance to the dock
capt Dakln lost his life because of his
Gauntless courage In lighting the fire. His
pouy was FOUND at the foot Of ladder and
carried out Other firemen stated that
Dakin had come out Of the hold alive after
entering 1t, and it Is believed that enfeebled
though he was by his first attemnt he
heroically rushed back to the place Of
danger II is thought he may have been
drowned in the hold.
Fire Chiefs Prompt Action.
When the fire broke out Acting CHIEF
Sullivan was in charge OF the fire forces
He opened hatch and let long ladder
Gown into the hold. To this act OF prjl-
cent foresight was due the saving of the
lives OF many. II he had not done THIS
The men overcome by the fumes in the
hold could not possibly have been rescued.
as the next hatch led into the heavily
laden coal bunkers.
Immediately after the alarm of fire was
given, Capt. Wilson, Third officer Wallace
and Fourth Officer Dahl were notified ana
proceeded TO Investigate. They descended
To the first hold. where they found tho
cargo on the astarboard side of the vessel
burning under a slow tire. which gave evi-
ceEce % having been at work for hours
The hold was Choked with smoke and the
officers were unable 10 do effective work.
They had scarcely gotten to the second
floor when the captain staggered and fell
limp at the feet OF his Two companions.
Wallace and Dahl picked him up and car
RED him to his cabin. where the ship ;
surgeons with great difficulty revived him
UHdauutCd by the terrible experience OF
moment before. Wallace and Dahl again
descended 10 The second hold after direct
ing that an alarm of fire be sent in from
the wharf Both were carried TO the deck
by hremen, but Wallace soon died
IL required the united efforts OF may
engine companies. aided by the fire tugs on
the bay, 10 subdue the fire.
The quartermaster general this morning
received the following telegram from Major
c. A. Devol. superintendent OF the transport
service at San Francisco: Fire discovered
at midnight in hold No . of the Meade: un-
able TO put out fire without flooding hold
Fire out at I'm. and now pumping out
water. Third Officer Wallace and two city
nremen overcome by smoke and killed.
Sailing delayed for some days. Full report
later