The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-06-13
Baltimore SufFersAnOtheT Heavy
Loss Today.
Entire Water Front Was Men
aced for a Time.
LOSS is A MILLION.
One Vessel and Several Barges
Are Destroyed.
Two Sailors and One Fireman
Are Killed.

Baltimore. June 13.-The greatest
fire since the conhagration Of 1904 IN
volving a property loss of about ST.
600. 900 and the probable loss Of two
lives. occurred at an early hour TINS
morning on the water front.
or a time the entire harbor front
was threatened with destruction on the
north side the flames being with diff
ncultv kept within the confines Of the
wharf of the Merchants and Miners
TRANSFORMATION company and on the
south side a stubborn battle being
fought to prevent a wholesale destruc-
ton of property by the fire spreading
from the steamship Essex which with
six barges was burned.
The fire started at 1880 CLOCK Dul
at 5 o'clock was still burning. At that
hour the flames on the Essex had been
extfnguished and the shell of the yes
sci was badly listed from the water IN
her hold.
Two membe of the crew Of the
Essex are missing and it is believed
that they were burned to death or
jumped overheard and were drowned
Their names are Edward Atkinson,
cabin assistant, and John Costello, sec
ond steward Five other men were
rescued with difficulty by the tug
Mary. two of them narrowly escaping
death I'm the flames or drowning, as
they were forced to make flying leaps
to the rescuing vessel from the deck
of the Essex as the former boat pulled
way. from the burning steamer.
ON the south side Of the harbor the
packing house of Moore & Brady
company was damaged, the steamer
Minnie Wheeler of the Baltimore,
Chesapeake & Atlantic Steamboat
company and a cotton shed of the
Merchants & Miners Transportation
company. were partially destroyed.
They caught fire from the barges and
the Essex when they hOated across the
harboF after being cut loose from their
mo0rings
The steamer Essex arrived in port
several nights ago and was half un-
loaded. 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
fierceIy.
Six scows and barges that were also
lying aside OF the wharf were ignited at
once and soon were completely destroy
ed. A mum Der Of them were towed out
into midsream so as to prevent setting
fire TO adjoining property.
The barges and scows were loaded
with cotton and rosin and the flames
blazed fercely the heat from them be
ing intense. They were tOwed with ex-
treme difficulty into the stream and
tugs that endeavored to take them avav
from the wharf were singed-
Residents living in the neighborhood
Of the fire and whose houses were
threatened became panic stricken ana
the police assisted many women and
children to places of safety. Two aged
women living on Block street locked
themselves in the room of a small house
that was on fire and the police had to
break in the door and remove them by
force Another woman, very i'll. and
supposed to be dying at the time. was
removed to the city hospital
At a late hour the dead bodies Of At
kiuson and Costello were recovered
from wreck OF the steamer Essex as
was also the body Of Manuel OdeUo.
fireman. whose head was completely
burned off his body. Two other men
who have vet been unaccounted for are
supposed to have lost their lives by be-
ing burned to death OF by being drown
ed when they leaped from the burning
vessel
The Essex, which was valued at $500.
000 is a total wreck as is the cargo on
board, valued at s150,0O0
The damage to the Savannah pier of
the Merchants and Miners Transporta-
tion company amounted to $4,000
The six barges belonging to the saue
company. loaded with cotton and rosin.
were with their cargoes. valued at
about $500 600.
The hremen succeeded in keeping the
flames from destroying the company :
big warehouse where thousands of .4o1-
lars worth of goods are stored.
The losses were covered by insurance