The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1917-19??, 1917-11-01
Johnson CITY, TENNESSEE, THURSDAY NOVEMBER /. 1917.
THREE BIG PIERS ARE
DESTROYED BY FIRE

Baltimore, Md, Oct 30.-One of the
largest fires in Baltimore since the
great conflagation in February 1914.
that destroyed the business section
of the city is raging at midnight on
the big piers of the Baltimore and
Ohio railroad at it's extensive terminal
at Locust Point, on the south side of
the harbOr. Piers and are stored
with vast quantities of munitions and
supplies for the American forces in
France and their allies Within ten
minutes after the flames were dis
covered the entire structure was
ablaze.
Fifteen of the crew of British
steamer lying at the pier at the time
Of them were drowned. A dozen or
more men employed on the pier are
lllSSlHS. Oue VI lIS pltlS NSlS oOilAN
cases of shells which exploded at in
tervals leading to rumors that the fire
department was using dynamite to
check the spread of the fire. 1t is re-
ported that the fire was of incendiary
origin.
The Baltimore and Ohio grain ele-
vators are but short distance from
the burning piers which are the main
terminal in the country of the Furness
Witty English line of steamers. Pier
8 was the former North German Lloyd
line pier at which all their ships load
ed at this port. The two piers which
are destroyed cost about one million
dollars each.
Baltimore, Md. Oct. 31.-Two sus-
pects one a saloon keeper and the
other stranger who was reported to
have been seen in motor boat near
the Baltimore and Ohio piers, were ar
rested today by Federal Department
of Justice agents investigating the
$5. 100000 fire here last night.
The men arrested were taken to the
department offices and subjected to
lengthy questioning. Special Agent
Harris said their names would not
De revealed at least at present, nor
would he intimate the results of his
investigation. The saloon keeper, ac-
cording to the police, had been heard
to say eve are going to get the ele-
yators next" Police claim he told
them he is a Russian Pole, but that he
is a native of Germany, who has
taken out naturalization papers in the
United States.
c. L. Munroe. of the bureau OF
mines. WASHINGTON, came here today
TO investigate reports that bombs flg-
ured in the explosions at the fire
A heavy pail of smoke, which hung
over the harbor, made the river dan
gerous for traffic. A steamer from
Philadelphia rammed the stern of the
British steamer, which was afire, but
neither ship was much damaged by
he impact.
All men who were in the fire zone |
last night are believed to have been
accounted for except Eustace Bromley
chief naval gunner on a British steam
" which was lying at the piers, and
Michael j.. Hand, tally clerk. Sew
,ral stevedores not definitely ac- !
counted for are believed to have been
saved.
The Baltimore and Ohio's loss was
estimated tonight by Vice President
Thompson at $4,OO0,0O0, covered by
insurance. Piers and were destroy
I'd and these Mr.. Thompson said would
De reconstructed at once. Loss of
hese two piers, he said. will not in
.errupt handling of freight.
The damage to the steamer and its
.argo it estimated at $5O0,O00, while
500. 900 loss is thought to have been
ustained by the Gurness-Withy
steamship Company, which used the
)iers for it's terminals. Among the
goods destroyed were 1000 cases of
imported liquor, $50 carloads of flour
fifty carloads of tobacco and 10000
oales of wood pulp.