The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-11-07
A DOCK DONE FOR
THROUGH THE AGENCY OF FIRE.
Eagle Dock, HOAOk'n, New I'nAy, Destroyed By
Fire Ay the Careless Handling Of Kerosene
Lamp = shipping Property Destroyed.
Loss Half . AlllIOa Dollars.

NEw YoRE, November Ga fire in Ho-
boken this afternoon totally destroyed the
Eagle Dock, owned by the Hoboken Dock
Company, Hamburg, and leased by the
Wilson and Eagle steamship companies,
two full cargoes OF merchandise, one just
unloaded from the Wilson line steamer
Rialto, plying between HobOken and Hull,
England, and the other in readiness for
the National line steamer to sail in few
days for London and Liverpool. Most of
the merchandise, including large guam
tity OF cotton and steel rails, was owned
by New York merchants. The dock, fully
insured, was constructed eight years ago,
ut cost of $3.50, 900, and was 7l6 feet long
and SO feet wide. Several barges and a
lighter in close proximity to the fire were
also destroyed. The steamship Rialto, bnt
for the arrival OF u tug, would have been
destroyed. Her rigging caught fire in sew
eral places, and portions OF the woodwork
on deck also ignited. She was hauled into
the stream and anchored and the flames ex.
tinguished.
Captain Harvey worked so earnestly to
save his ship that when her safety was as.
sured he fell prone to the deck. The City
Physician was summoned and the captain
recovered. The excursion steamer Ply.
mouth Rock, in winter quarters, was in
imminent danger. She was actually on
fire at times, in several places, but was too
wet out, and escaped with trifing injury.
OF the barges destroyed, two were laden
with hay, and belonged to Niveson 4 Co.
The fire blazed away throughout the night,
reaching every part Of the extensive pier.
One origin Of the fire was given as fol-.
lows: The watchman had applied light
ing contrivance 10 small tin kerosene
lamp attached to pole to gaze on the
dock, and almost instantly the cotton and
a quantity OF loose Oakum strewed around
were ablaZe. The disastrous consequences
are accounted for in this way. The Hobo
ken fire department and city authorities
have been for some time at logger
heads, the latter, according to the
tlremen, refusing to furnish the proper
supplies to the department; furthermore,
recently the authorities designated the en-.
ginG houses as places Of registration for
voters, an action which the firemen
loudly protested against, When an alarm
was sounded, the fire apparatus was found
with tongues turned to the wall, and only
one Of the seven engines comprising the de-
partment responded. The chief refused to
order the men out until he received Ger.
tain guarantee. When these guaran-
tees were given by the Mayor the engines
reached the scene Of the Rreafter o'clock,
more than an hour after the first alarm was
given and too late to prevent the conhagra-
ton. The Mayor on being informed OF
the condition OF affairs teegraphed to New
York and Jersey City for aid, and the two
cities promptly responded. Tho large
storehouse that stands on the shore end OF
the dock and isused by all the steamship
companies whose vessels land at lIoboken,
was on fire at one time, but the flames were
extinguished before material damage was
done. The total loss Is placed at half n
million.