Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1906-02-01
HOLD OF BOAT DAMAGED
The Fire, Which Was Discovered Last
Night, Was Not EXtingulshsd
Until This Morning.
NUMEROUS DEEDS OF HEROISM
Captain George Wilson Res
cued Barely Alive.
FEAR OF AN EXPLOSION PREVAILED

Associated Press DISPATCHES by Special Wires
San Francisco, CAL, Feb. l.-Three
lives were lost and many PERSONS we're
injured in ire which was discovered
last night in the hold of the United
States transport Meade. The trans
port was to have sailed for Manila to-
day, with more than LOCO soldiers
and a fgo OF 1900 tons Of arm sup
plies.
The dead are:
ihird Officer George Wallace Of the
Meade.
B. Hennsssey, linemsu of Engine
Co. No. A.
Capt. Charles Dakin OF Engine %.
No. 4.
The following are reported as miss
ing, supposedly IN the hold, uncon-
sciuus. perhaps dead:
CHARLES Gill, operator for Chief
Fernandez.
George Browne Of Engine 90. No. -.
W. K. ERan Of Engine Go. No. y.
One Of ths sailors OF the Meade,
name unknown.
The injured are;
Capt. George Wilson Of the Meade,
shoulder broken.
AAAN 0hA1AA AaaaNAh VI NAo nlEMQua
II. Dahl, second oiilcer Of the United
States Transport Service.
Louis Cook. fireman OF Truck Co.
No. /.
Battalion Chief Fernandez Of the
Fire Department.
Lieut.. John Gilbert Of Engine Co.
No. -
Capt. D. r. seuoll OF Engine 90.
| No. -
Lieut.. a. Mattlock of Engine Co.
No. g.
Gabriel Cuneo, fireman.
The vessel is lying at the Folsom
/ street dock, aud, despite the efforts Of
| the Fire Department, which promptly
came to the aid Of the officers and
crew, the fire was not extingu ished
until this morning. The damage to
the vesEel was not vital.
Deeds Of thrilling heroism marked
the fire. Capt. George Wilson of the
Meade fell down a hatuhway and lay
| crippled and unconscious, with an in
iuted shoulder, strangling to death,
amid the fumes Of burning lime.
Chief Operator Lassak aud otheEs oi
the crew threw themselves down into
the hold and managed 10 struggle back
out OF the death-pit, bearing Wilson,
who was removed to a berth out ol
reach OF the flames and there attended
to. Lassak was rescued from death by
JOSEPH Cock Of Truck No. / and an
unknown man, both Of whom took
their lives IN their hands. j.. II.
Dale OF the United States Transport
Service was overcome and injured
while trying in vain TO save IhirC
Officer Wallace. Maliaoe's home wal
in Sydney, Australia.
The lore part of the ship, where th'
fire broke out, contained the persona
effects Of the officers Of the Second
Infantry and Of tho Eighth and IhiT
teenth batteries OF light artillery, ant
the loss Of property was confined Il
this part of the vessel.
The fear Of an explosion prevailed
but this did not deter the dremen
though they knew there was q larg
Quantity of ammunition on board
The ammunition was stored Ia com
rattment No. @, next to the last o
the boat, while the FIRE began 10 No.
commitment, we'll forward. The flames
Z however, at a. m. had cut through
i commandments Nos 3 and and wer
eating their way towards The hold
!. where the explosives were storsd. IN
utmost energies OF those IN ohaIg
T, we're directed towards hoodins thi
! compartment and cutting 1t eff by
volume Of water from the encEoach
ment of the flames. When il was see
that the flames we're eating their wa
aft, Capt. wilson, who was lying u
!, iurcd and unconscious IN berth
= the cabin, was carried ashore and wa
7, sent to the harbor hospital. lie wa
q suffering from bad burns, in additio
II to his injured shoulder.
Eighty thousand dollars in golS
befng carried as military treasure
Manila, we're rescued from the shi
and guarded by the soldiers. Lines
soldiers also guarded the entrance
e the dock.