The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-06-21
Wives Crowd Dock.

WAVES NAVHG GJIEs
The men caught on the ship ali lived
close BY and, with one thought as 70
their safety, their wives, children, and
other relatives hurried TO the pier head
The sight they found was awful Men
with their clothing ablaze, writing IN
agony dashed madly out Of the ship. In
stantly there was a concerted rush 70
the rescue, and some cool head sent IN
an alarm Of fire -Four girls were
knocked overheard In the rush, but were
soon rescued
The iremen quickly responded. Time
and time again they were driven back
by the blaze, which soon spread 70 all
quarters Of the snip. A dozen Of the
fremen fell victims TO the dense smoke.
The longshorenen gang was made up
white and coiored lab0rers. and most Of
them were known TO each other by
number When the explosion occurred
the flames leaped sl1yward and spread
out o. er . wide area. and every person
within radius Of twenty-five yards was
| caught In its scoTching path. Scores
/ Of men. after recovering from the FIRST
/ shock u the explosion, rushed 10 the
/ rescue. Repeatedly the workmen
plunged up the gangplsnk trying TO save
]
stances toey We're successful
Carried Out Ten Living.
| Edward Mooney, a boss stevedore. was
| the hero Of heroes. He was on dtca
/ Of the liner when the first terrific ex-
| plCsioE occurred. Mooney saw q dozen
/ or more Of the men who had been at
| work in the hold run up the ladder to
so Got A 10
1 the workmen were being blown from
/ between decks. He realized that there
( must be other men who had not been
! so fortunate as TO escape the shock.
! flames, and smoke. The boss stevedore
| ran over 10 the hatchway. which was
! belching forth flames and smoke like
/ d volcano and sprang into the fiery
! furnace. OllO0kers cheered when in
an incredibly short time Mooney reap
peared On the ladder carrying an uu-
/ conscious man Il was a feat Of hero
ism such as is seldom witnessed He
| carried out ten living and three dead.
Captain Wells. Of the tug boat s A.
Churchman swung his vessel alongside
and got aboard She burning steamer.
lie plunged into the hold and found a
tin bOx Ave and a half inches long. 10
| WHICH the Il1Jel eE1S or wire were
| Connected. He took the bomb up 10 the
deck, where the Arcadia's captain
/ forced him tc surrender it, laying that
it was part Of the cargo and that he
would not let il out Of his hands until
he had consulted the German consul
Slugs MutiIate Remains.
When the -aroner Iccked over the re-
mains Of Henderson and Butler he
found them I1Ltilatsd by heavy
metal slugs. whic obviously were con
tanned III the bUlI b. The thirty ether
longshoremen we're either struck by
splnters or we're cut and bruised.
/ superintendent Shell. Of the line, said
tonight:
| 7 cannot account for the explosion
II was not caused by spontaneous com
bustiOn- I am sure, and there was moth
iaS &C such q nature IN the cargo, that
il the listed cargo. which could cause
| such a lamentabIe tragedy
The police are rigid!y continuing "a 81:
Investigation. Tugs and dreboats pump
cd so much water into the Arcadia th al
she is now resting on the river bottom
with only about ten feet OF free board
showing.