Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-06-13
A'7ocIaicd Pres Dispatch BY spocIal wire,

Associated Press Dispatch by Special Wires
baltimore, Md, June ia million
dollar fire, early this morning, wiped out
the big Savannah docks of the Merchants
and Miner3 Transportation Co.. totally
destroyed the steamer Essex of that line.
all the valuable fright with which the
dock was crowded and q number Of scows
loaded with cotton and rosn. with their
ireghts, besides causing great anxiety
as to the fate of the crew Of the Essex
said 90 have consisted of about 40 men.
All of these save two are known 10 have
escaped. The two Others we're almost
certainly burned TO death. as they were
apparently unconscious when last seen
by their fleeing mates. They were Ed
ward Atkinson, a cabin assistant, and
John Costello, a fireman.
The burning steamer and scows driited
TO the south side of the harhor, and for
a time there were grave fears that extern
sive damage would be done there, as the
wind carried the flames from the vessels
directly toward the shore and shipping
ON that side but the hremen were sue
ccssiu in preventing serious damage
there.
The blaze was spectacular, the burning
rosin and cotton giving of immense
| volumes Of dense smoke, made lurid by
| the furious flames.
The fire originated in district sur
rounded, except on the water side. by
| extensive lumber yards, but the direc-
tion of the wind saved these from damage.
The fire started at 80 O. clock but at
o'clock was out. At that hour the flames
on the Essex had been extinguiehod and
the shell OF the vessel was badly listed
The few members of the crew of the Essex
who are missing, and who are believed
20 have been burned 20 death or drowned,
were Edward Atkinson, cabin assistant
and John Costello, second steward Five
other mon were rescued with difficulty
10y the tug Mary.
On tho south side Of the harhor the
paollinghouse Of Moore & Brady Co WAS
damaged and the steamer Minnie Wheeler
of the Baltimore, Chesapeake & Atlantic
Steamboat Co., and cotton shed OF tho
Merchants & Miners transportation Co.
were partially destroyed They caught
fire from the barges and the Essex when
they ioated across tho harhor after being
cut loose from their moorngs
The steamer Essex arrived in nort sew
eral nights ago and was half unloaded.
She was lying alongside of the south end
! NA AiN Whit NAiNA NNANAN MNAA NNNNI IN
passed she caught fire and was tOwed out
into the harbor. burning hercely.
Six scows and barges that we're also
lying alongside of the wharf were ignitcd
az once and were soon completely de-
stroyod A number of them were towed
out into mdstream so as TO prevent them
from setting fire to adjoining property.
The bargos and scows were loaded with
cotton and rosin and the flames blazed
hercely, the heat from them being intense
They were towed with extreme difficulty
out into tho stream, and the tugs that
endeavored to take them away from the
wharf were singed
The residents living in the neighbor
hood of the fire and whose houses were
threatened became pnnic-stricken anC
the police assisted many women anC
children TO places of safety, Two ole
women living on Block street locked them
selves in the room OF a small house thai
was on fire and the police bad to breal
in the door and remove them by force
Another woman, very i'll and supposed
TO be dying az the time, was removed t.
the City Hospital.
10 is estimated that the total loss vii
be 81 600 600.