The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-30
THE JERSEY CITY FIRE.
TERRIBLE FATE OF A RIVER THIEF-NARRow
ESCAPE OF FIREMEN-sNKING OF A


ESCAPE OF MISUNDERSTANDING OF A
LIGHTER.
The boat on which the explosion occurred at
Jersey City yesterday morning was the lighter
Competitor. She contained a cargo OF l47 bar
rels OF oil The sloop Flora, Captain SEQ
field, OF Elizapethport, was TIED up alongside OF
her at the foot OF the Morgan street dock.
captain Burke, OF the Competitor, went away,
leaving person on board. There is no night
watchman on the Morgan street wharf About
half an hour after midnight Captain james N.
Smith, OF the schooner F. II. Miller, wss keeping
watch over his vessel, when he saw man pass
whom he did not recognize. The man went over
the stringpiece and was closely followed by another
person. Miller, seeing that they were coming
toward his BOAT, called on his mate to hand
him his revolver. His vessel had been robbed
short time previously, SO he was more cautious
than ever. The thieves, observing his move
ments, skunk away and directed their attention to
q pine WOOD schooner that was moored at the
stern OF the lighter. The captain OF this vessel
was
ALSO ON THE ALERT,
and the thieves finding themselves foed, fell
back upon the tighter. One man jumped down
from the stringpiece and the other re-
NAMED on the dock to watch. He had not
descended more than a minute when the captains
The man who was on guard ran OF and made his
escape. Kissing sheet OF name, enveloped In a
volume OF dense black smoke, swept into the air
and Ene work OF the IRE had commenced. 1t was
just twelve minutes past one O'CLOCK. Three
minutes afterward the nre bells rang
wnarves on each side OF the North River,
distance or two miles. Barrel after barrel Of the
qaa Tes re aHa as ss
threatened destruction 10 the vessels lying at the
other piers. The -sloop which lay alongside tho
lighter was soon enveioped oy the IRE aud one OF
the masts fell with a heavy crash. A general
alarm brought out the entire IRE department., but
the utmost It could effect was TO save the wharf
and the surrounding vessels. The iIgnter was
BURNED TO THE WATERS EDGE
and sunk. 1t was valued at S., 900 and the cargo
at $500. The sloop was valued at 81, O0O Ii con.
tanned a cargo OF twenty-five tons OF iron. James
Lyner and Abraham Long, TWO men employed on
the sloop Flora, mad narrow escape. They were
awakened by the explosion and escaped ON the
wharf just as the flames reached. their vessel,
They were slightly burned about the nands and
face. The flames spread TO the piles OF lumber on
the wharf belonging to Vanderbeek Co.,
Prltchard, Meyers Co., and inflicted loss OF
TO return 70 the thief who descended upon the
lighter before the IRE, the boat in winch be ana
his companion rowed over was found almost con-
sumed. The brass lock OF the lighters locker and
neaVy n ian. h use1 IN ,mrencning IL on were
one yesterday afternoon the body oil the thief was
found noatng in the water where the lighter
sunk. IL was charred TO crisp and was SHOCK
ing spectacle. 1t was toWed ashore and was sent
TO the Morgue by Coroner Lynch. It IS supposed
that when the thief descended into the hold h9
lighted a match to what the locker
contained and lgnited the gas from the crude OIL
tanks Captain Burke, of the lighter, says he
thinks the river thieves are Jersey 'Iongsaoremen
and are the same who robbed his vessel some
time ago. The OBJECT OF their visit was to steal
the hosting tackle which was In che locker, the
boat having no cabin and the hold being used Tor
crude oil tanks. The cargo was a deck load and
the tanks were filed with gas. The wnarves in
TINS vicinity Raye been for a long time infested
Win river thieves.
ACCIDENT TO FIREMEN AND ENGINES
When the fire broke out the wrong alarm box
was pulled by mistake All the apparatuses.
north OF the railroad In answering we're COM
PEELED to cross the railroad TO the south and then
recross' TO the north again Box No. rs stationed
on the north sIde Tor the very purpose OF prevent
ing this As engine No. / was dasning along
warren street toward Newark avenue the driver,
Albert Shellworth, saw the fire through Plymouth
street. He pulled up short, and drove through
Plymouth to Was lington street and turned down
the latter. The Pennsylvania Railroad Company
are repairing their tracks there ana had pulled
up portion OF the street. When the workmen
Knocked Off work last night they left a deep hole
In the street, with apple OF coDDe stones
drove directly upon this pile and IN an
It's side In the hole. lie was strapped in and
helpless and went over with his engine. His seas
was Knocked into triangular looking arrange
ment, but, strange TO say, ShellwOrth was not
injured in the least. The engineer, Edward SUI
folk, and stoker Charles Carroll, were thrown
violently to the ground, but they also escaped
win but little injury. The engine was badly
broken up, and was not extrcated from the mole
into which it had fallen until nearly SIX O'CLOCK
the morning.