Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1902 — GREAT VESSELS BURN [ARTICLE]

GREAT VESSELS BURN

MILLION DOLLARS’ LOSS BY FIRE AT HOBOKEN, N. J. X Phoenix Company’) Great Dock Swept Away —Steamer British Queen Destroyed, with a Vast Quantity of Freight—Lighters and Piers Damaged Roaring flames licked up $1,006,000 worth of steamship property in Hoboken, N. J., Tuesday nigbt within three hours. They destroyed the 300-foot pier of the Phoenix Steamship Company, parts of two other pierc. the steamer British Queen of the Phoenix company, seven lighters and a vast amount of freight. Half a dozen men jumped into the sea from the deck of the British Queen. They are believed to be safe, however. Chief Engineer Scott of the steamer and a sailor of the name ot Jansen are believed to have been burned to death. Eight or more persons were*badly burned and are in hospitals. While the flames swept through great piles of cotton and hay in bales, the red glare lighting up a vast region upon and sbotit the Hudson river, a band of twen-ty-five Chinamen fled from the peril of fire only to encounter the muzzles of a score of revolvers. Officers of the federal government, fearing that the Chinamen, who composed part of the crew of one of the menaced vessels, might take advantage of the opportunity to enter the United States in violation ot the exclusion act, headed off the fleeing men and, after scaring them nearly to death, dragged them to jail until they can be returned to their ship. The estimated losses in detail are: Piers, $300,000; British Queen, $400,000; cotton and lighters, $250,000; seven lighters, damaged to extent of $50,000. Fire Sweeps Several Docks. The scene of the fire was Seventh and River streets. Together there are the docks and basins of the Phoenix line, the Holland-America line and the Barber line. The Phoenix line pier was a wooden structure, covered with a frame riled. On this were many bales of hay and cotton. How the fire started is not known. Some declare that it started in the British Queen, which lay in the basin between the Phoenix line dock and the Holland-America dock; others that it had Its origin at the end of the pier. The flames burst out quickly, driving the stevedores and sailors from the British Queen to the street, for the vessel was being unloaded. The vessel had been made fast to the pier and could not be backed out and soon lighters and other water craft which lay alongside of her, some of them bolding such inflammable stuff as oil cake, quickly caught fire. The captain of the lighter Tonawanda saved himself, his wife and his child by pushing a cotton bale into the water, placing his family and himself upon it and paddling his strange life raft into the river. Steamer from China on Fire. From the I’hoenix line pier the flames spread to the pier of the Barber line and then to the steamer Heathburn of this company, newly arrived from Hougkong. with a cargo of tea. Among the crew of the steamer Heathburn were the thirtytwo Chinamen, who scampered to the pier for safety and were later locked up. The captain of the Heathburn was not • board. His wife and children were, but were rescued by the mate. The Holland-America line docks are below those of the Barber line. They caught fire, but were only slightly damaged. Tbe company’s big steamer Maasdam was towed out into the river as soon as the danger became apparent. Fought by Many Fireboats. The fire was fought by Hoboken and Jersey City fire engines anil from the water side by tugs and New York fire department boats. Employes of the Hol-land-America and Bremen steamship lines assisted these forces, as did the crew of the United States ship Portsmouth. lying at the pier next above the PMoenix line. This vessel is in use by the Jersey.naval reserve as a training •hip and is in command of Lieut. Davenport. It was through their efforts that the Tonawanda's captaiu and his family were saved. The fire started about 8:35 o’clock and by 11:30 it was well under control. Set Fire to Army Quarters. The British Queen, still ablaze, was towed out into the river. Three lighters, all afire, were directed down the river by tugs, but owing to the wind and current they once or twice camo near setting fire to property on the New York side. Two of them finally drifted to the past shore of Governor’s Island, setting fire to the new landing pier there. The army officers’ quarters were greatly endangered and the soldiers stationed on the island were employed in fighting the flames.