The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1906-02-02
Transport Meade Badly Dam,
aged, Three Men Killed,
Others Missing.
TWENTY ARE OVERCOME
Thousand Troops Were to Have SaiIeo
for Manila on Board the
Transcript Today-Loss
.. Very Heavy.

! out late last night in the hold of the
transport Meade. lying at the Folsom
street wharf. The fire ragged for hours,
despite the efforts Of the fire depart
ment. .....
1 Fully twenty men were overcome by
the deadly fumes, and at least three
men are dead, three missing and about
score of others Injured.
The dead:
| THIRD OFFICER GEORGE WAL
LACE of the Meade.
b. HI1NNESSEY, city fireman.
CAPTAIN CHARLES DAKIN, city
fireman.
| The missing:
| Charles Gill; fireman.
George Brown, fireman.
w. Reagan, fireman.
| The injured:
Captain George Wilson, OF the Meade.
| First Officer Lassak.
| j. II. Dale.
| Alex Lack.
| Morris Freeman.
Battalion Chief Fernandez. of the fire
| department.
Lieutenant John Gilbert, of fire de-.
| partment.
Captain D. II Sewell, of the fire de-
| partment.
Lieutenant A. Mattlock, of fire de-
| partment.
| Louis Cook.
| Gabriel Cuneo.
| II. j. McCloskey. ..
| Others whose names have not been
ascertained were more or less injured.
| AT 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 1000 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 extinguished
at 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 Mas
ter at Arms Morris. who gave the
alarm.
Deeds of Heroism.
| Deeds of thrilling heroism marked
the fire. Captain George Wilson. of the
Meade, fell down hatchway and lay
crippled and unconscious with an in
ured shoulder strangling amid the
fumes of burning lime Chief Opera
| tor 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. Las
SAX himself was rescued from death by
City Fireman Joseph Cook and an I'M
known man, both Of whom took their
lives in their hands. ]. H. Dale was
overcome and injured while trying to
save Third Officer Wallace from the
fate that overlook him. Wallace comes
from sydney. Australia.
The forepart of the ship where the
fire broke out contained the personal
effects of the officers Of the Second
infantry and OF the Eighth and Thir-
teenth batteries of light artillery. and
the loss Of property is confined to this
part of the vessel.
Eighty thousand dollars in gold be-
ing carried as military treasure to
Manila was rescued from the ship and
guarded by soldiers.
Died HERDS Death.
Captain Dakin lost his life because
of his untlinching resolution and
dauntless courage in fighting the fire
His body was found at the foot of the
ladder and carried out. Other firemen
stated Dakin had come out Of the hold
alive after entering it, and it is be-
lieved, enfeebled as he was by his first
attempt, he still manfully rushed back
to the place of danger. 1t is thought
he may have been drowned in the
hold
When the fire broke out Chief Sui
livan was in charge Of the fire forces
He opened the hatch and let 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 men over
come by fumes in the hold could not
possibly have been rescued as the next
hatch led into the 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 Il heroic attempt to save his
chief. Captain Dakin, whom he knew
to be in q perilous position, almost los
ing his own life in the unsuccessful ef-
fort.
Fire Stubborn One.
Immediately after the alarm OF fire
was given, Captain Wilson. Third Of
ficer Wallace and Fourth Officer Dahl
were notified and proceeded to investiJ
gate. They descended to the first hold.
where they found the cargo on the stars
board side of the vessel burning under.
slow fire. which gave evidence of hav-
ing been at work for hours. The hold
was choked with smoke and the Off
GERS were unable to do effective work.
They scarcely had gotten to the second
floor when the captain staggered and
fell limp. at the feet of his two com.
panions, who picked him up and car.
ried him to his cabin. where the ships
surgeons with great difficulty revived
him. Undaunted BY the terrible expert,
ence CT a moment before. Wallace and
Dahl again descended to the second
hold after directing that the alarm OF
fire be sent in from the wharf Both
were carried to the deck by firemen, but
Wallace soon died.
1t required the united efforts of many
engine companies, aided by fire tugs in