Fire In Newport News

Newport News, Va.. April 27. - Fire broke out at pier 5 of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad company Tuesday and before the flames were gotten under ontrol piers 5 and o, crowded with valuable rr.erchandise. had gone up in smoke and the Chesapeake and Ohic tug Wanderer and the half-loaded German bark J. D. Bischoff, were burned to the water's edge. The Norwegian steamer Solveig was badly damaged, and the British steamship Clintonia was nearly destroyed by the flames. Several other steamers which had steam up were able to get out of harm's way. It is not known positively that any lives were lost, but three sailors from the Bischoff are reported to have been drowned in attempting to escape. Narrow Ksoape from Deatli. The crew of the tug Wandered had a narrow escape from a horrible death. Their craft was on fire before they were awakened by the alarm, they being tied up to the pier. The tug immediately tried to effect its escape and ran around to the south side of pier 6. Captain Forrest of the tug was compelled to run the nose of the craft against the pier in order to allow the crew to escape. E. R. Diggs, a deck hand, John Diggs, the second mate, and a colored man on the tug were terribly burned. Two members of the crew jumped overboard and swam ashore. In the meantime the Bischoff, Solveig and Clintonia took fire and Captain Kroite of the Bischoff was terribly burned in effecting his escape, and Captain Rodselh of the Solveig was also injured. Scores of sailors suffered slight burns. Save a Iïifï Klevator. The flames meantime made their w.ay toward the immense grain elevator, notwithstanding the efforts put forth to stay the flames. The grain conveyors leading from pier 5 to the elevator took fire and burned ftercely. Finally an engine succeeded in jerking the supports from under the conveyors and they carne to the ground with a crash none too soon to save the elevator. The total loss is estimated at between $1,000,000 and $1,500,000, partially covered by insurance.