New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-11-07
BURNTTO THE WATERS EDGE
DESTRUCTION OF A HoBoKEN PIER.


MFN SLIGHTLY NJURED-Loss OVER HALE
MILLION
sudden glare of light was seen from one OF the
windows at the heal of the Eagle Pier in HOboken,
a little after pm Yesterday, and moment later
the watchman came flying ont of the gate with his
coat in n blaze. The alarm was sounded at an
engine houSe near by. and the engineer putting on
steam ran the fire engine into the street Owing to
rebellion among the volunteer firemcn of several
of the companies the men did not respond to the
call, and there the engine stood.
Meanwhile the fire, which could have been put
ont by PROMPT ion, was gaining hea'lway. The
wind was blowing 50 Ith"a5t. Ono of the hook and
ladder trucks arrived on the scene in few
minutes, bat without water the men could do noth-
ing After still further delay, Daniel Qmrk, the
chairman of the Fire aud Water Commission, and
OF boys reached tn, pier with the fire engine,
but hy this time the flames or cllling among bales
of hemp and cotton and casks of lard
and talow, were leaning on their mad career half
way down the pier. 70 think Of arresting their
cours" was useless, and attention was dir, cted 70
saving vessels and barges moorel in proximity to
the per and ncighbor ug bull lings. At the north
side lay the steamer Rialto of Wilson line loa led
with m'sceaucous cargo. but mainly cotton,
ready to start on her voyage to-day and the south
side were two i'e barCcs, n hay barge an cotton
lighter, and further ont was the excursion steamer
PlyWouth Rock. The Illumination and the great
clouds of black smoke were the signal for general
rus of men, women, and ch'l ircn 10 the spot Owing
10 The lack of ool police regulations these sight eer7
swarmcI upon the bn<hcads and peers, anI 50
thrust thcms' Ives in he way OF the hreln"n that
the litter In to knock them ont of the way when
they wished 10 make u now move.
Mayor Benson viewed the scene with dlSihay. ana
t'irgrIphcl J'r,ry CITY AMI tIi3 cI'y for assist
ancc. Scores of rche ious irencn, with
their metal halgcs glIscning on their breasts,
locked around the head of the burning
pier their engines were III the engine
houses, With their tongues turned IL, by recent
order of the Chief and amused themselves by look
ing at the rage ot the flames and by abusing the
Mayor aud the CIty Council. OF the entire force
Of hobok"n' s"v"u companies IN all Engine No. l.
Engine No. g. Truck No and Hose No. were
thus left at home Engnc Company No : at last
came to the assistance ul the engine aud truck
already on the yround Twenty minutes after tn
lrst alarm the jersey City companies tlre or four
m number arrived at the 81 ot and began aSlhgon
the vessels IN danger, on the bonded warehouse "a
few feet from the per head, and on the houses oI
the Hobpkcn Ferry. ID spite these Efforts, tine rlg-
glu{ of the Ratio took tire aud cindcrN lallhg upon
.icr d cN threatened her destruction. just thch u
plr OF tug boats came pulling mp made iaSi tn1H tn1IH
Hncs aud towcd the vessel ~ lidsfedi' anu aI lh'
sam time threw streams of water on her burning
spare Tug boats also went 10 The r,-cue Ol the Iy-
mouth Roca. and so Ii mad her n
safe place down hc river, with
no hurt but bI,trred sides. To save the barg's was
uupo ,sihlr as they lay near the bu,Sh"a ON the
W udward side, with { e sn1se an II ihr II
ont them. me beat wa> 50 intense tht' ~ ur'-
men Ind to uch' their WAY down a long skeleton
pier loot after foot Then In" Hrc
began lcking the bargrs, aud was only
prove ted from swallowing up the ferryh0uses
by a space oi water and the plentiful shower ol
water thrown by the fire engines AMI the hose OF
four fcrryboI',. which had suspended passenger
traffic. m
Wmlc Fi~rman Joe" Force was handling hose
on the skeleton pier he lost his footing and leu
through into the water striking hls back on th1
way. tlc padulcd out sucCc-r ully AMI was nclP'u
To- land bv pi. co % auions. Fireman Adam Bonner
Itt r. barge near lc
same place receiving injuries IN as ead ana breast
.Inuas ,lO-au, 0I Truck 40. ,. and James C"siIth'
ut EIginc Company No. l. from jersey CIiF' "h0
were on the end OF the adjoining prr were tll on
b. the flames and had TO jump INTO the water 10
save ia IT lives. NJ,
that three oi he employee who wrr" on the l. igic
pier were forced to AXE the wafer aud swim out
As one ut the trucks wa, near the loot o Ncwatk,t
two u the volunteers desired 10 cNrrcl," their skill
i'm turning cor e. he Co.. Ilt "ds that the machine
ran AZ last the fence, crushing woman VINO was
there into an uncouiort bic position. J he ho"ed
warehouse, which Is stored with Nalui'' property
was lguitrd al one time, bat the blaze was soon
cXtiug,i,hcd. The ferry house oniiIcl( escaped
AbIuj 7:jO the hr'-uoat II ld, mr't nom I'T
40. / of this ci,y, steamed up Jnd PM several
streams on tho bunIul UJr-'5. Before inns time,
however, tnc pier was "a mass o. burning Oa'rS ana
Thomas Mcycy, the watchmau, explained the
ri an u the lire los SAVING that rs no was lightIh-
the gl5 spark tell from the wick OF Ihr taper on
pile uf hemp. The tume, burst mp n Hash, and he
books but the fire pursued hu too notify, ana ne
was forced To jump cut to save 'he clothes on MS
back.
ihc Eagle Pier was The property of the Iioboken
Dock ,uupany of HAMBURG, dud originally COST
about s25O,OOO 1t D, estimated that tur car-o'S
consisting largely oi hemp, rope, cotton oakuW TAI
~ 10000. To tins must bo a!aod ioo
bale. ol cotton destroyed, worth abonL
$4,000. The value oi the bdiGr% al ol
wnch were cnurcly destroyed, and a hahtcr, when
was toE,d ont into the stream bur aii'rwdid
burned to the acr'S edge, conid not hc learned;
II i Thought that the tJ.al loss viii exceed
-j-i 900 The Ralto the forrca-tle and rigging
OF wucu was BADLY damaged, ls owned ny lhoh'!'
Wilson sons, of Hull, England ana ~ said To- nave
cost $4,000. The Icc-uaIgeS were oWutd uy tlo
Ncw-Jer,cy lee Company ahd Tie hay-b1isr Dy
John NJ. NIvar ~ Company The properly I'-
,trO, ed was m part rescued but the amount ana Inc
companies carrying the TI,h1 cpuld nos De "'''I-
For some time the Hob ken Fire Department has
been iu an exceedingly bad condition. ne men
have been denounced Dy he Mayor ana olnrr e.
officers ~ inirTs, and Ioalrr@ ana anu me ', u,v-
men have denounced the authorltleS IN terms
equally uncomplim'ntar'. Inc colhl'htS
on the p.Tt Ot the Mayor were Mano 10
the common Council in official message
some months ago. lreSh alrohJ was auu'u
recently by the appointment ol the engine H"uNE'
~ places of REGISTRATION. TINS was 100 nIuCI'
aud at 70 meeting ui the urcmcu last Friday IL was
solved to urn the poles of the chGlnge ana uJNs
H. aud let the alarms sound ~ YAM ii"M ItB @ ,''r
WAS 10 continue WAS not decided Ll', HBnt t"'S
cXcitcdy discussed their grievances, addhS 90 'Ho'c
already named the charge mat the Mayor pe.11.c
emily refused To furnish nccdiu hupputS;
Allan Stem. of Engine Company No. l. asserted
that the ylrlous companies had been trying lor
five months Ia gut supplies, hut without success,
owing TO the obstinacy OF Mayor Bens3ni 3"'h''unr
coal had not been furnished, nor
even matches to start the fire IN IhG
engines. ,hc men became tlred oi
such methods, and refused TO do duty. r.,,,,u,
Engine Co upany No /, - hc sald toa TRIBUNE
reporter. could easily have saved the per lor
there was only small blaze. But we
would not raise a hand to save It, when we
say a thing we mean it. Oar engine was
hauled out Inv iot of BOYS. The new