St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-08
FOUR BURNED TO A CRISP.
LOngshoremen Cremated While
Sav;nr Steamer,s Sf0res

LOngShOremen CremateQ Wn1le
Saving a Steamers stores.
New YORK, Dec. THE National
Line Steamship company's dock at
pier 80. North river, took fire at 1:30
o'clock this afternoon and burned
nearly to the waters edge. At least
four blackeped dead bodies were
taken from the ruins. Many more
people were badly burned, some of
whom are likely to die. 1t was the most
disastrous fire on the river frontin some
time. For two hours the fire resisted
the efforts of nearly the entire force of
engines below Fourteenth street,
and seriously threatened the
adjacent piers. The steamship
Holland, belonging to the Ma
tional Line company, lay in her
berth at the north side Of the pier when
the fire was discovered. By quick work
she was removed fIOm her dangerous
position and towed to the Jersey side.
Exactly how the fire occurred is mys-
terry, but the officials of the company
think that it was due to spontaneous
combustion among a lot Of cotton on
the pier. The spread of the fire
before it was discovered and
the confidence of the dock labOrerS that
they could eXtinguish it without the aid
of outside apparatus and gave the
flames tremendous headway. Before
the men were really aware OF their
danger the westerly end of the dock
was burning mass, and such OF the
abOrerS as escaped had to
FLEE FOR THEIR LIVES.
1t was then that most of them were
Injured. Those who did not escape
were OverpOwered by smoke and fell
senseless and dying in their tracks.
Three alarms were turned in finally,
and the fire boats summoned. After
siren uous efforts on the part OF the fire.
men the flames were subdued at 4:30,
and the bodies of the four victims were
conveyed to the morgue. Then the ex-
element of the crowd that surrounded
the place had somewhat abated.- One
young woman, however, made several
attempts to enter the ruins in search OF
her brother, Willie Barry. For half an
hour the attention OF the spectators
was divided between her and the
policemen who were endeayOrlng to
sooth her. Finally she was approached
by a man in a checked jumper who
told her the boy was all right. She ac-
cepted his assurance with look of re-
lief and went away. The complete list
of those killed and injured is as follows:
KILLED.
JAMES BARRY, watchman (white), fifty
years old.
RICHARD JOHN SON (colored), foreman,
forty-five years old. married.
GEORGE BOOKER (colored), 1Ongsb ore
man.
JAMES WHALEN (white). carpenter.
INJURED.
JOAN HoPsoN (colored); married; long
shoreman; badly burned.
FREDERICK WILLIAMS (white); forty nine
years old; carpenter; badly burned, but will
recover.
HALLocK K1PP (white); clerk: severely
burned; will recover.
GILBERT FARMER (colored); thirty-two
years old; lOugshoreman.
Besides the above persons who were
taken to St. Vincent's hospital there
were half dozen or so who were
slightly burned about the face and
hands. Among them were several fire.
men. There is only one person unac-
counted for ont of the 200 employed on
the pier, the elevator boy. James Nc
Guire. 1t is thought, however that he
got out all right and went to his home.
The loss could not be definitely ascer-
tanned, but it is thought will exceed
S25O,O0O, on which there is full lnsur-
ance.