THE HONGKONG TELEGRAPH, SA [URDAY, OCTOBER 20, 1906.
THE BURNING OF
TERRIBLE HOLOCAUST.
OF
TO DEATH.
MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN BURNED
MAGNIFICENT STEAMER BURNT TO THE WATER'S EDGE.
OTHER STEAMERS AND JUNKS IN JEOPARDY.
FINE WORK BY ́NAVAL SEAMEN. Sunday, October rath. mitigated by the oblivion of asphyxiation. Hongkong has been visited during the But the momentary battle for life was terri- past few weeks by a series of calamities he and is even now barrible to contemplate. which have shaken the Colony to its very Hundreds el men, women and children core, but nothing so horrible has occurred were fighting for a foothold on a narrow as the burning of the Canton steamer gangway. Their screams were heartrending; Handew. We have faced a succession of they could be heard half-way up the Peak. typhoons; we have scen' men, women and Residents wakened in the middle of the children drowned by the scure in sight of night by the carpiercing cries, saw from assistance; we have heard of tragedier in their windows the blazing vessel and could numerable but nothing equals the ghastly guess, though they formed little conception and terrible scenes which occurred on of, what was happening on the waterfront, board the Hankow as she lay at her unchor. The flames were spreading far and wide, age on arriving from Canton. In fact, the high over the surrounding buildings. A only parallel which suggests itself at the strong wind was blowing at the time, carry moment is the burning of the steamer ing the spread of death to vessels a hundred General Storum on the Hudson river some yards away. A couple of junks which had years ago. The agonising screams of nearly been lying near the wharf of the Hanine 2,000 Chinese who were trampleri, and were utterly consumed, and whether the scorched to death will live in the memory occupants escaped is unknown. A Chinese of those who heard them tiff the end of their wharf--the only one that survived the ty lives, and the spectacle of the inferno pre, phoons-was crumpled up and destroyed. sented as the vessel blazed into the night can never be forgoten. The Bercest picture of hell's fury will not calipse what was seen in the early hours of this morning, and even to a case-hardened journalist it is painful to
write of the event.
At three o'clock in the morning the Han Zwar laden with a valuable cargo and carry- ing about 2,000 Chinese passengers arrived at Hongkong from Canton and was safely berthed at her wharf. The Haulam, bel longing to Mussts. Butterfield & Swire, lias always been a favourite with native residents ou account of the excellent accommodation provided, the cheerful conditions on board, the courtesy of the officers and it may be added the appearance of the boal, for she was the largest on the rụn. Accordingly it may be taken for granted that the vessel rarely reached Hongkong, with less than 1,000 Chinese travellers, butun her last trip it willnever be known exactly how many were on board for all traces of them have disappeared in the devastating flames vi ar the waters of the harbour. As already remarked the Haukme moured at her wharf and the pass sengers prepared to leave. Naturally most of them had been asleep in their hunks or on the mats with which the Chinese coolies invariably provide themselves. They were probably only half awake when the vessel
The Aoun, another Canton boat, which was lying at the opposite side of the Hans how's wharf, managed to be towed away and escape from tlie scene of the conflagration: Meanwhile, the Hitakon was burning from
THE S. S. "HANKOW."
How many escaped death by lire or water it is impossible to say. Usually when vessel arrives from Canton many of the passengers are prepared to jump ashore in mediately, but when a ship unters in the early hours of the morning there is a dis. position to remain on board until dawn, or
ling the baggage on the wharf. It is said At any rate to dawdle over the work of get. that if one hundred escaped it must be re- garded as a miracle. Readers may thus realise the terrible holocaust that occurred and the frantic scenes that took place at the wharfsite. During the height of the receat typhoons many tragic spectacles were beheld but nothing morepitiful can be imagined than the sight which was to be seen before day light to-day. The absolute helplessness of mybody to render assistance intensified the
agedy.
The news of the pecurrence spread with amazing rapidity. When morning had dawn ed hundreds were at the wharf gazing in potently at the remnant of what was admit intly the finest steamer on the Canton river. Nothing remained but a shell, blackened, smoking, an utter wreck. The fire engines
THE HANKOW" AFTER THE FIRE.
was
Bu!
at поол
the imposing funne! stood in bold relief a column of brazen red iron in the midst of a long irailing cloud of smoke and, tongues of fame that seemed to leap higher than the 60-foot buildings lining the waterfront, "Kau mlang! Kau miang!! Tk///—Save lila! Bave life rose again and again, higher and higher, over | the raging noise of the devouring element, nod ar hundreds of voices clamoured piteously for help that could never reach them, the tale of destruction as the imploring echoes gradually died away was frightful to contemplate in the imagination.
within a month.
masters had alçamed their craftoutof sight, and the Potuan was left to the tender mercy of the wind and flame which, fortunately, proved entirely propitious. A North-east wind was {lowing and so long as the direction was not changed the Porcan was compamtively safe. Luckily for her two other steam-launches were hailed, which acted as towboat for the Poway upon a guaranteed payment of $to each. The Pozumn was accordingly hauled out into the stream. Such was the intensity of the heat from the burning vessel that the paint on the pari side of the Pousa was literally peeled of
LIGHTERS SAVED.
lengkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Co., Two of the lighters, also belonging to the
1d, which were lying alongside the Fowan having cargo discharged into them were also unwed out of reach of the devouring element.
A PIEL, BURNT..
As soon as it was practicable a representative of the Hongkong Telegraph was promptly. upon the scene of death and desolation. From an eye-witness who was present at the first outbreak and throughout the horrible spectacle of destruction, as well as from other reliable sources, were gathered the particulars relating to the most recent of the series of calamitous The only wooden pier in this locality which events with which Hongkong has been visited survived the great storm of last month was
Canton for Hongkong as usual last evening. ward of the Hankow
The as. Hankow, Captain. B. Branch, felt about a hundred yards distant and west. roomed to destruction to day. It is situated
She carried, it is said, about two thousand the flames on to the direction of the The breeze fanurd Chinese passengers in round numbers, besides per, which eventually became ignited and seven Europeans, included among whom were burnt down to the water's edgo. Mr. Zaadel, of the firm of Messrs. Arahold, THE STABILITY OF THE RIVER CO.'S WHARF, Karberg & Co. at Canton, Miss Nicholls, a lady. At the most crucial moment of the fire the teacher from the Philippines, and two oer ladies. The curge was of a most valuable bales waste silk Tid about 3,700 rolis matting. nature. It consisted of '60 bales raw silk, 400
o'clock this morning, reporting all well;" The Haskow drew alongside the wharf at
and within a few minutes was mide fast, Almosi immediately after, at 3.15 am, the Chief Officer, Mr. H, W. Holmes, rushed up to Captain Brauch saying: "Ships on fire!" Then went alone to the Chief Engineer (Ms. James Christie) with instructions to turn water direction could not be carried out. None of on to the ship's hose. Unfortunately, the
the member's of the engine-room staff could
3
s.sk sprung about two fest from the wharf, and as she did so the fine steel pier 10 damage under the great strain. It speaks just bent over slightly, but suffered absolutely
volumes for the construction of one of the finest landing stages to adorn the waterfront of the Colony that it stood two auch severe tests 1 xe the typhoon of 18th Sept. and the fire of this morning with practically little or so damage. It may be mentioned that the Co's firehoses at the wharf proved their utility and efficiency this morning.
THE GOVERNOR ON THE SCENE. Amongst those to arrive at an early stage of the disaster was His Excellency Governor
THE THRONG OF SPECTATORS.
remain in the engine-room, any time as the heat was terrific, the place being described as
·
MEN-O-WAR'S MEN TO THE RESCUE,
303
them of their boarding-houses and go in search of customers. It is believed that one of these man overturned a lantern which set one roll of matting afire, thus rapidly igniting the rest
"THE OPIUM FIEND." The "Opium Fiend" has as usual, his army of detractors. It is positively asserted by the huge phalanx of anti-opiumists that the calamity must be laid at the door of on the smokers who, while indulging in one of his pipes, accidentally not the first spark with such calamitous results.
j
THE ELECTRIC INSTALLATION.
third theory finds advocates amongst those who believe that a fusion of the electric wires set fire to the first roll in the stack of matting which made such excellent fuel for the flamEL"
SUSPECTED INCENDIarish,
The last theory which has a large number of warm supporters is that the burning of the Hankow was a case of incendiarism. It in alleged that the fiends who could devise such a malevolent scheme of destruction felt safely io 'concerting their plan to be carried out after
the ship's arrival in port when the great vigil.
ance of the officers would be relaxed, and. when, it was imagined, the passangers could get away, upon the first alarm, with compara tive case. "The fact that the ship was observed to be ablaze fore and aft within five minutes of the first report, as definitely stated by an
support to the asson theory. eye-witness on the wharf, gives the strongest
ESTIMATED LOSSES.
The loss in ship and cargo is roughly anti- mated at rather over, a million dollars, made up as follows:
Steamer,...mimm$400,000 Cargo Raw Silk, Waste Stik,....... Matting,
$50,000 40,000
30,000
Total............51,020,000
All the mails were burat as well as the pri vale letter boxes on board. The officers lost all their personal effects. Capt. Branch besides losing his certificates and papers lost also his valuable documents and securities left on board. Chief Engineer Christie lost all his Masonic orders.
Firemen's Good Work.
The firemen showed up brilliantly in rosed- ing the colortuoste passengers from the burs. ing ship, and some had very narrow escapes of being numbered among the dead, in their. attempt to save those who were near, the flames, but who could make no headway to leave the vessel. The brave firemen rushed down the gangway time and again and dragged those who were in danger.ashore, ut the peril of their own lives. Thanks to their Roble work over 100 persons, including infants, were rescued from the floating hall, but when the flames travelled to amidships and licked the sides of the wharf, destroying the gangway and rendering all chances of further rescues -impracticable, the firemen could do no more. All those on board of her then were doomed to eternity.
Soon after the fire had burat itself out, de- molishing all the upper deck and superstruc tares, both all and forward, but leaving the engines and boilers without much damage, the firemen, who were comprised of the following officers; lospector Warnock, Bergeants Mac-
dooald, Lee, Davitt and Grant, Firemen Cooper, Parr, Murphy, Counsell, Fox, McLeo nan, Wilson, Sutherland, and Ingham, in charge of Chief Inspector Baker, made for the hold of
Thirty-six, bodies were picked out of the sea, the ship to clear away the dead. Others
charred and unrecognisable bodies were re while up to a late hour this afternoon over 100
moved from under the debris of the ship.
searched, the adjacent waters for the drowned.
JUNK PEOPLE REFUSE WORK.
arrived. There was no hurry to dis every port and loophole, while a few frenzied were playing one smouldering debris.
Sir Matthew Nathan, K.C.M.C., who was accom- embark, no confusion, nothing whatever passengers were making final efforts to What was more nauseating than anything
panied by his Aids-de-Camp, Capt. C. H. dissonant to good order. Suddenly' a 'cry that the grim figure which overshadowed else was the smell of burned human flesh. was raised that fire had broken out in them.
a veritabile furnace. Muy in the throes of agony leapt The firemen were bringing numerous bōd lea
Calman, The Governor watched with con- the after part of the vessel. The chief into the sex and were drowned. Many ashore and tanging them on the Praya wall
THE EUROPEANS SAVED.
siderable interest the progress of operations to Mindful of the safety of his passengers before subdue the fire, and at one time, it was sug- officer went up to the commander, Captain were crushed to death under the feet of decently covering them with mats. Branch, and formally reported the fire. their fellow compatriots. Women and child. there was nothing to sec, nothing to identify of the inminence of danger. As best they that stage it was practically impossible to act his own, Captain Branch personally hastened gested, His Excellency expressed his opinion to the Europeans in the cabin apprising them that it would be well "id scuttle the ship," At Immediate steps were taken to cope with fun had no chance of success in the insane A few charred remains, a hand, perhaps a could, all the Europeans rushed out and made upon the suggestion, and all efforts were con the outbreak, but from the outset it was rush for the gangways. All this be it re- leg, a blackened corpse--it was worse than for the wharf across the gangway, some in their fined to extinguish the foaring flames. The obvious that the vessel was duumed. Cap membered
occurred within a very tain Branch rushed to the cabins of the minutes. Chinese on the housetops watch which had been involved in the fire. The nightgowns.
lew the typhoon. There was no sign of the junks night clothes, while the ladies escaped in their Governor retired after being a quarter of an European passengers-among whom were ing the scene but unable to stir a finger in Hankow
bour at the wharf, Mr. Zundel, the Canton manager for Messrs. aid of the passengers were silhouetted today.
still burning
By 3.20 a.m. an immense crowd had assem. Promitent among others on the wharf were bled near the approach to the whart and it was Cipt. R..lones, marine superintendent, Messrs. work of removing the chatred bodies was on. An incident occurred while the gruesome Arnhold, Karberg & Co., and Miss Nicholl, against the black sky. a lady leacher in the Philippines-and rous-
What the actual loss caused by the fire by keeping the crowd back from drawing too than whom it is scarcely possible to find a
as much as the Police could succeed in doing lusterfield end Swire, and Mr. Joba Arnold Junks were engaged to move the dead. Think- When the chief officer had informed the will reach it is impossible to suggest. Only close to the firefighters, one and all of whom more zealous official indentified with the large were removed from the hold of the ship ed them. The ladies ran to the wharf in captain of the first outbreak, he rushed to the the roughest estimates can be offered at the worked with herculean efforts to save the ship and growing interests of the Company to which in mats and taken and laid on the praya. ing that the junks were ready the bodies theit night-dresses while the men appeared engine rooin in order to get the fire-hose moment, but it is well within the mark to from total destruction. in pyjamas. There was no question of into play, but in five minutes the engine say that the owners have lost half a
the rise, growth and development of the river wall. When about twelve bodies had been luggage in the struggle for life. Every room was a seething cauldron and nothing million dollars--some say a million. TheThe local fire brigade was supplemented by
traffic is mainly due.
lying there for nearly half an hour it body lost their everything and the European could be done. The officers made their rankos herself was valued at $400,000 most valuable Naval contingent. As soon
A GAUNT SKELETON.
was discovered that the junks previously passengers are to-day thanking God for pre- escape as best they could, utterly helpless to Among the goods carried by the Hanke the fire was discovered two signal rockets river steamer is the gaunt skeleton of her made by the police it was learnt that the junk All that remains of the once. Gre palatial cogaged were not insight and on inquiries being serving their lives.
render aid By this time pandemonium prevailed on fired to call assistance and the cominander waste silk; 3,700 rolls of matting besides a atmost in no time. A contingent was sent rather all that remain of them are distorted
to the
passengers. Rockets were were 500 bales of raw silk, 400 bales of were fired. In answer to the call for assist charred frames. All the woodwork has been people had refused to undertake the work...
ance, the "handy men" were on the scene entirely burnt out; the paddle-wheel boxes-or the lower decks. The Chinese seized their of HMS. Maru sent a detachment of men' large miscellaneous cargo whose value is, away from H. M. cruiser Flora in port with a and charred; the iron stanchions twisted out of were taken in tow by launches and removed to After some delay junks were obuined, and belongings and made a mad rush for the with a manual engine to the scene.
after they had been filled with dead bodies they The woknown. Two hundred bales of raw silk manual engine, the same being reinforced by shape; and the plates above water-line" bent gangway, Hundreds were distraught and Naval Yard also sent a contingent to assist have been recovered, but the material is a detachment from the Naval Yard. Once on by the great intensity of the heat. So that in
the different mortuaries preparatory to burial, simultaneously dashed to the only means the land brigade with the whart hoses, but really damaged by water and will only the scene the sailors worked like Trojans; but the work of repair which the Dock Co. may be
The sa. Hankou is a single screw, paddle of escape, with the result that nobody could human efforis were powerless to oppose the Jetch a fraction of its original value. get near the gangways; men, women and flames. In the opinion of those," however,
for their belp-great as were the efforts of the called upon to make, practically a new steamer been on the Hongkong-Canton rus
wheel vessel of 3,073 gross tonnage. She bas AN EYE-WITNESS NARRATIVE. Hongkong Brigade-the task of controlling the must be made out of the blackened remnants
for a children were felled to the deck and ruth who saw the herculean efforts of the volun-
Hardly had the stroke of three o'clock from conflagration would have presented difficulties of the 5.5. Hanku. Curious to relate by a most popular boats to both the Europeans and Chi- number of years, and was one of the most lessly trampled upon. As a matter of fact, teers to stamp out the flames and rescue the the Clock Tower died out in the distant air of beyond the original numerical force of the fire strange conicidence one lifeboat has not been the ignorant coolics utterly lost their reason; suffering both from the vessel and the water suburban levels above the city limits were engines at work on shore-the fire float having was the object of many comments of wonder. engraved on her paddle wheel box, and many the still moonlit night when residents on the men to successfully cope with. With two steam touched by the flames; she remains intact. and natives the "joss ship," having two eyes nese plying in the trade. Bhg was to many they were lunatics for the time, and it is safe to say that if they could possibly have conduct.
some recognition should be made of their aroused by the clanging-of the brazen bells foundered in the typhoon of the räth Septem ment that in the position it was in, it should been controlled the loss of life would have results for which they laboured it was only of a fire. There was a pause, then a deliberate the large body of energetic rescuers the fire
If they failed to achieve the denoting in its succouring tones the outbreak ber-the manual engine from the Flora and have been possible to escape destruction.
u superstitious native would prefer to postpone his trip in order to go by the Hankow than been averted. But no one can control a bechase done in their position could have stioke followed by a second stroke and a pause, was practically got under control by 5.30 am.,
THE CRIGIN OF THE FISE.
by any other vessel on that run. lunatic, least of all a crazed coolie, and aucceeded.
located the fire in the Central district of the when the Naval contingent retired.
Many theories have been advanced as travelled so quickly."," thus the terrible result of the conflagra.
city. No sooner had, the aroused slumberer
to the possible origin of the fire. Amongst THE "POWAN" TOWED OUT OF DANGER. tion, What made matters worse was the
Shortly after four o'clock in the morning gained the verandah of his residence than a
those principally discussed in - shipping The s.s. Powan, Capt. Valentine, of the circles to-day there are extraordinary character of the fire. It be His Excellency the Governor, accompanied sight-as magnificent as it was appalling to Hongkong, Canton and Macao Steamboat Co.," rits. The first is attributed to the over. four likely theo gab as stated in the after part of the vessel; by his aide-de-camp, arrived at the wharf, behold-rivetted the attention of the beholder Ld, was lying on the eastern side of the wharf turning of a hand lantern by one of the in two minutes it had appeared in the bow, but by that time there was nothing to be upon a scene with the echees of the shrieking, while the Zankow was in flames. Steam could numerous gang of boarding-house runners, and within five minutes the ship was a mass
done. Itis Excellency expressed the opinion hundreds of human voices clamouting for help not be got up on the Powan quick enough for is well known, upon the arrival every day of living fame. No words can depict the that the pussel should have been scuttled which it was beyond the power of man to her to steam out of the danger zone. Recours of the Canton River night boats quite a rush scene which presented itself to the few specta- when it is remembered that there were 2,000 steamer-the s.s. Hankow-owned by Messrs.: first secured to perf am this duty, but when
immediately the outbreak occurred, but reader, telling of the holocaust, which was had to be had to launches to tow the Powan is made for steerage passengers by what are
being enacted on board the familiar old river out. Two Chinese steam launches were at locally called Lore who were in the vicinity of the Hunkow people on board and, also, that the ship was Butterfield & Swire, That it was the good old they were brought to the Powan they refused at the moment. There was no time to thick The Chinese fell and were suf Bames were seen, it will be recognised that no doubt; for right on the water's edge, re- tionate price which, under the circumstance, after the saloon and second saloon passengers on fire from stem to stem five minutes after fiaskow that was burning there admitted of to take the riverboat in tow, demanding an extor ing-house runners who "rost" the lower deck The "brigade" consists of Chiasse board. focated, for it is merciful to think and to the Governor's suggestion was hardly practi- moved about a hundred feet from the farthest admitted of no bargain making. Defore, how have disembarked. The man carry huge oil hope that the agony of the flames was cable, if not impossible.
lipe of the tallest buildings on the New Praya, - ovať, na agreemezccould ha offected, the launch lanterns with conspicuous signs painted on
THE HAMBOO, BRIGADE,,
THE MORTALITY, The official report of the number of persons killed, up to one o'clock to-day, in as fol lows:-
Bumt on the steamer.............85 Drowned in the harbour
114124 45 THE CREW.
The names of the European crew of the flank sw, all of whom were saved, are appended below :-
Mr. I. BRANCH, CAPTAIN,
Mr. H. W. HOLMES, CHIEF OFFICER, Mr. GEO. WILLOUGHBY, SECOND MATE, Mr. JAS, CHRISTIE, CHIEF ENGINEER“ Mr JOHN THORBURN, SECOND
Mr. THOS, NISBETT, THIRD