The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1884-08-06
THE ROARING FLAMES
Lick Up Six Hundred Thousand in
Jersey City.
One Life Reported Lost-The Penn-
sylvania Hallway Depot Destroyed
with six Hundred Feet
of Wharf.

New YORK, Aug. 6-Fire was discovered
in the ferry house of the Pennsylvania rail
road in Jersey City at II As O'Clock Monday
evening. The structure, composed mainly of
Georgia pine, burned rapidly, and soon the
river and hay were illuminated for miles.
An impression prevailed in New York that it
was an oil fire. The flames We're confined to
the railroad buildings, consisting of the ferry
house, the railroad waiting-rooms, and the
depot proper.
The fire was caused by an explosion OF gas
III the ferry entrance.
At ll:l5 p. IN. Ferrymaster Robert Jones
was alone in the right-hand ticket office hls
assistant in the opposite office having closed
up and gone home, A lady had just stepped
up to buy ticket, when terrific explosion
occurred directly beneath the seat of the
tieket-seller. The lady was thrown
backward upon the sidewalk, but
was not severely injured She walked
home. The ferry-Inaster was blown fully
six feet into the air, struck the ceiling OF the
booth, and dropped scorched and senseless OH
the floor He recovered consciousness i'll a
moment, and escaped just iii time from the
building which was soon in flames Imme-
diately following the explosion a sheet of
flame shot into the air 1t spread with mar
velous rapidity along over 800 feet of water
front 1t was conjectured by some that the
fire had spread through the gas pipes and
that the first explosion had been followed up
10y others
A dozen engines were soon around the
slips and pouring streams upon the flames.
The Baltimore and all annex boat were iii
their slips on the Jersey City side,
and they Immediately began pumping
water on the fire. They remained
i'll their slips as long as possible,
and then came out little way into the
stream, but still pumping water. The Hud
son City hurried over from CORTLAND street,
and she also was soon throwing water into
the flames She was not of much use how
ever, and soon went back to her berth The
Pennsy wanna railroad company's tugs
America, Juniata. Harry, Young America,
Halslmus, Linden, Amboy, Willie, Jessie,
and Renova left the ferry-slip on
the Jersey City side, and, getting as
close to the lire as possible, threw
streams of water on it. The ferry-boats New
Brunswick and Princeton put out from the
LesbrosseS street ferry-slip, but were unable
To effect landing and remained in midstream
over an hour. In the meantime the flames
had extended to the upper part of the Adams
express wharf, which caught fire and burned
with great blaze Ii was heapsd with
freight, the most of which was destroyed.
The Brooklyn annex wharf, which is to the
south of where the flames started was the next
To catch fire, and almost at the same instant
the tower of the Pennsylvania railroad sta
tion fell to the ground with a great crash.
A fresh shower OF sparks was thrown upward,
which looked like an explosion of rockets
The DANES rGared up Exchange place, and ii
seemed as if the many buildings which line il
would have to 60 ......
From the New York side, from the upper
part Of Adams Express dock and down past
the Brooklyn annex wharf, one great sheet
Of fire arose and threw tongues of flame and
my riads of sparks over a hundred feet in the
air
The explosion and the flames which fol
lowed created the widest excitement in Tay.
loI'S hotel, which is only fifty feet away from
ihe Terry house. Many Of the guest.
mne ateiy began TO remove their bag
gag, ana the clerks and employees had great
dLd,ulty III preventing a panic Blan
kGts, quilts, and canvas were spread over the
ro"i aud hung down the walls nearest to tht
CO ,tasiat:or and a gang of worklnen weIe
KEPT ,oTistantly at work dremCtlng the wall.
win water Fortunately the wind carried
the flames in the opposite direction, and the
big hotel was saved Several ambulance:
stood round. bnt their services were moi
neeied The total loss is estimated $500, 900
Besides injuries TO the lady who was in tht
ticket Office and the ticket clerk, Abraham
Goodwin, of Is Sullivan street, 81 years old
ami Jennie Gallagher, 10 years old of 904
Third avenue were badly burned
The fire greatly disconnected thousands o.
people owing to the infrequent trips of tbs
ferry boats to and from the city. Many, il
order to save time, went to the Erie com
pany's ferry and to Hoboken, and crossed by
the Central and Delaware Lackawanna
Western ferries. But two persons thus fal
are known to he seriously injured One, th'
elderly lady, who was badly
burned, was reported as having
died in Christ's hospital, Jersey City, from
the effects of her injuries Owing to th'
| splendid work of the tiremen, and the stamcl
manner in which the main depot was bull
much of it was saved. Superintendent Jack
sons Office and other offices overheard, to
| gether with the ferry houses, bridges and tn
reception-rooms, which were burned, coveret
nearly three acres of ground, and extendet
from the foot of York street along the rive
| front to the dock of the Adams Express com
pany, distance of nearly 600 feet
The loss of the railway is estimated a
s250,000