New-York tribune., 1878-02-02
i PLOTTING MASS or FLAME.
THE NEvERsINK'S FIERY VOYAGE.

THE NEVERSINK'S FIERY VOYAGE.
A FIRE on A BEooELYN PIER SPREADS TO TIE
STEAMER TOWING THE VESSEL DOwN 1rE
RrvER-Irs DESTRUCTION ~ THE FLAMES.
The burning Of the steamer Ncvorsinls last
evening furnished RENAL kiblr and brilliant spectacle 10
The people OF NcwYork and Brooklyn The vessel caught
fire from coIna grafton that originated In the office OF
the brooklyn Annex Company at Jcweiis Dock, nj the
foot of Tutou-st. Brooilyn. boy was alone IN the
office when one Of the lamps exploded about quarter
after o'clock The boy ran out aud gave the alarm.
The tcketagcnt rushed into the Office after the hiues
had De gun fiji the ROOM and eraspng the first drawer
within his reach hc hurried ont and was not able To rc-
turn. The fire soon spread beyond the Office. The
pier which Is PCS feet In lcngth, covered by build
Ing one and a half stories in height From the windows
Of tie ryercnd OF this building the flames shot out In
oug streams and high IN the air. giving the ap-
poarance OF a very extensive cOnhagiuilon. About
IGOO barrels stored The dock ready for
immediate shipment, aId these were destroyed
The Gremen not able al once 10 bring streams to
bear upon the flames, account of The peculiarly oi
the situation Of the pier and before hose could BE- laid
on; on the line of sc. Of the rditon Terps slip. or
along the pier the fire. startling discovery was made
The steamer Ncversink had been moorcd at her
usual Winter quarters beside the pier. When the fire
broke out and spro AL rapidly IL cared That the yes
sci might be Injured and efforts made to get her
away from tie dock The tug-1oat Niagara ran
I'm get ng the Neyefslnk from the wharf, and not
until some of the lines bad buncd and parted that the
uc-boat vas able TO tow her into the stream II was
then di,cOycrcdtha all this had been done too dte-ihc
vessel was on fire.
The progress Of the flames on the Ncyersnk
deIfuy quick. They started above aud OH either side
Of the whechouse, aud scarcely ten minutes had
clap-cl before the entire vessel seemed wrapped
in wreaths Of fire As the Niagara pulled the
steamboat up the river the singularly
impressive and beautiful. Higher and higher rose the
haucs they shot out far each side the wheclhousc
the sinoke-sack, walking-beam and the ornamental
work OF Tie vessel could he seen in turn as the flames
rose and ;cll
The spectacle attracted, In short time. immense
crowds 10 the HroOilyn and New-ioft shores When
a. lar as CthaiInc Ferry, all accessible points
from which the display could be witnessed were
black with w?tclfu spectators The irrry.boats that
started from New York when the vessel caught fire
crowded their edges, and each boat left tIODgs be
hoaed past The excitement on board was intense
The eaeerness OF those IN the rear TO see
capped being pushed from the iront Of the boat into
the river The next boat that came from Newfork was
M nll rs is predecessor but sooner had IL touched
the slip the Brook side than great multitude
as that when left II rushed peIncl on board To be-
pany unable to restrain the eager host
So ungoyemablc II crowd rarely gathers AZ the
oucIiug the gates there rush and scramble
the front Of the boat, Several helpless people were
knocked down and one Of these-a sirI%ai y, lrcddcn
deck of the fcyboat and remained there to watch the
By this time the burning steamer had reached mid
stream, and Two other steamers taking her in tow. she
was carried the Ncw-lOrk side az the foot OF lioOsc
vcltst Thence she was tOwed along the 'front.' TO
the Battery, and thence through Huttcrmllk Channel
When the boat disappeared beyond the tall storage
houses at Atlantic dock, her bulk stlll burning.
While on passage down the river, the NeyeTslnk
smoke rolled UPWARD through which could bo seen
forkod which lighted uP ne lower portion Of the
city and irooklyn Heights IL was feared that the
wreck would drift against the shipping on this side OF
the and cause serious loss and an alarm was given
which called out engines ana hfchci me engines re-
turned their houses after going down as far the
Battery The piers and shipping were crowded with
people, Who watched thc burning steamer with
the utmost Interest. At the Battery the park
piers, aud streets were thronged with spccta-
Stood bnddicd together every incl Of standing room
structure of the Elevated Railroad was crowded. The
staten Island fcrrybOats were fu to overlooking win
and many stood upon the roofs OF the cabus The win,
doys Of the nOtes and buildings oi various kinds front
ing on the Battery hed with the heads OF persons
who watched the ste;nc .intil II went out Of sight
At the first breaking out OF The rc H. Cornell White.
the owner OF the vessel rushed from his resdcnce. No
IGl Columbia Height, Brooklyn, to the burning pier.
lie went on board the Niagara, and remained there
when she caught fire, William Burnett the mate,
and his wIIe, who had been LIVING there. They
both rescued aud went on board tne Niagara No one
was kno Gn To have been Injured at the lire
The loss of the Brooklyn Annex Company was $1,000.
The Of the river When this Il raised the losses
will he definitely learned The officers OF the com
pany state that their business operations VIII not be in
tcrrnDted by the fire. and their boats viii run usual
to-day The 600 barrels OF -four destroyed on the pier
wera worth about 900 This fully covered by In
eurance The pier constructed two years by the
Jewell Brothers at cost OF $4,000 The loss ON this
was b0ut 80 900 and there is Insurance for $4,000
CLr level Brothers made assignment for the benefit
OF their creditors four weeks ago.
The steamer Vcversink was built In New-Jersey I'm
1869 and cost about $40 000 For several years she had
been used by her owner, t. Cornell White ns excur
sion boat and has run up and down the Hudson River
and to places OF resort In the vicinity OF NewYork
She employed the ROckaway route last Summer.