Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-13
BIG BAL T|MORE BLAZE
The Greatest Since the ConfIa-
grafton of 1904.
HARBoR FRONT IN DANGER
Fire Kept Within Confines Of NJ. N.
7. Co. Wharf.
STEAMER AND BARGES BURNED
Three Men Burned to Death-Prop-
erty Loss Million Dollars-Neigh-
borhood Panic Stricken.

BALTIMORE. Md, June 13.-The great
est fire since the confagration of 1904, in
volving property loss of about $1,000 coo
and the sacrifice of three lives, occurred at
an early hour this morning on the water
'front.'
For time the entire harbor front was
threatened with destruction on the north
side the flames being with difficulty kept
within the confines of the wharf of the
Merchants and Miners Transportation Co.,
and on the south side stubborn battle be-
Ing fought to prevent a wholesale destruc-
ton of property by fire spread from the
steamship Essex and six barges, which
were burned.
Burned Nearly Four Hours.
The fire started at 80 o'clock but at 5
o'clock was out. At that hour the flames
on the Essex had been extfnguished and
the shell of the vessel was badly listed
from the water In her hold.
Three members of the crew Of the Essex
were burned to death. Their names are:
EDWARD ATKINSON, cabin assistant
JOHN COSTELLO, second steward.
MANUEL ODELLO, fireman.
At later hour the dead bodies Of Atkfn-
son and Costello were recovered from the
wreck of the steamer Essex, as was also
tho body of Manuel Odello, fireman, whose
head was completely burned off his body
The three bodies were recovered with great
difficulty from a position amidship the
vessel.
Two other men, who have not yet been
accounted for, are supposed to have lost
their lives by being burned to death or
by being drowned when they leaped
from the burning vessel
Five other men were rescued with diff
Guilty by the tug Mary, two OF them mar
rowly escaping death in the flames or
drowning, as they were forced to make f1y-
ing leaps to the rescuing vessel from the
deck of the Essex as the former boat pull
ed away from the burning steamer.
OH the south side of the harbor the pack
ing house of Moore G. Brady co. was dam.
aged, the steamer Minnie Wheeler OF the
Baltimore, Chesapeake and Atlantic Steam
boat Company and a cotton shed OF the
Merchants and Miners Transportation co.
were partially destroyed.
They caught fire from the barges and the
Essex when they floated across the harbor
after being cut loose from their moorings
The Essex, which was valued at $780,
600, is a total wreck, as is the cargo on
board, valued at $150,00O.
The damage to the Savannah pier of the
Merchants and Miners Transportation
Company amounted to $4,000
The six barges belonging to the same
company, loaded with cotton and rosln,
were, with their cargoes. valued at about
500, 900
Most of the papers and books in the
transportation companyS ONCE were
saved The firemen succeeded in keeping
the flames from destroying the company's
big warehouse, where thousands OF dol
Iare' worth Of goods are stored
The losses were covered by insurance.
Steamer and Barges Destroyed.
The steamer Essex arrived in port sew
eral nights ago and was half unloaded- She
was lying alongside of the south end of the
wharf. and before word could be passed
she caught fire and was towed out into
the harbor. burning iercely.
Six scows and barges that were also
lying alongside of the wharf were ignited
al once and were soon completely destroy
ed A number of them were towed out into
miostream SO as to prevent them from set
ting fire to adjoining property.
The barges and scows were loaded with
cotton and rosin, and the flames blazed
fiercely. the heat from them being Intense
They were towed with extreme difficulty
out into stream, and the tugs that en-
deavored to take them away from the wharf
were singed.
Residents living in the neighborhood OF
the fire and whose houses were threatened
became panic-strcken and the police as
sisted many women and children to places
of safety Two old women living on Block
street locked themselves in the room OF
small house that was on fire and the po-
lice had to break in the door and remove
them by force. Another woman, very Ill
and supposed to be dying at the time, was
removed to the city hospital. 1t Is esti-
mated that the total loss will be 100000.