Evening journal., 1891-03-06
a BIG STEAMER BURNED.
The City of Richmond Ruined
and Sunk.
AT LEAST TWO LIVES WERE LOST.

The valuable Hartford Vessel was De-
stroyed at Her Dock in the East River,
New Yorix--Ffre Boats and Land Engines
Battle Desperately with the Flames.
NEW YORK, March 6.-The Hartford pas
senger and freight line steamer City of
Richmond was burned at her pier, No. "A
East river, yesterday afternoon Little Of
value was left OF her except the hull and
the engines. Her superstruoture is a mass
of ruins Almost by miracle all but two
of the crew escaped. The killed are:
Two Men Were Killed.
Halsey Hin, colored
Samuel Lampson, col0red
The dead men were both walters on the
boat. The body OF Halsey Hill was found
late at night on the main deck forward
1t is supposed that he was sufTocated BY
smoke
He was sleeping in the forward part OF
the vessel and was aroused by some Of the
deckhands when the fire broke out. Il is
Thought that he believed that the alarm
was a hoax and took his time ia dressing.
He was fully dressed when found The
body was sent to the morgue. Ilampsons
body was also found on the deck The re
mains had been partially consumed by the
flames The charred hull of the vessel
sank at late hour last night Until the
wreckers raise the hull it will not be known
If otheExives have been lost
Escaped with Their Lives.
Henry Page an oiier, felrand broke his
lafr ts.t. II -.
Capt. Henry Il. May and the remainder OF
Che crew succeeded in escaping. The
steamer would have left for Hartford
wednesday at @ O'Clock p m, but as she
had been delayed up the sound by Tues
dag nights storm she did not reach her
mooring until Wednesday afternoon at
O'Clock. AZ 3 p. VA. yesterday she had re
ceived nearly the whole OF her cargo, a
general one. Shortly after that hour fire
was discovered among the freight on the
main deck.
Engines and Fire Boats In Action.
Three alarms were sent out ia rapid sue
cession, as the fire spread with great
rapidity, soon licking up the light wood
work of the cabias. Ohief Bonner was
early on the scene, and streams from
twelve engines were soon pouring on the
blaze and on adjacent piers and sheds, the
fire having communicated TO them The
new fireboat, the New Yorker, REINFORCED
by the bophar Minis and the Havemeyer,
attacked the fire from the river The con
Migration was hard one to eight owing to
its location, and il was an hour and a half
before tie work of the firemen showed any
results.
The Losses.
At As the Zophar Mills and the New
Yorker discontinued their streams The
City of Richmond was built some seven
years ago at cost of $500, 900 and originally
ran on the James river between Norfolk
and Old Point Comfort About four years
ago she was bought for $4,000 BY the
Hartford hne Capt May estimated the
loss upon the boat at s50,0O0 and e4O. 900 on
tbs cargo, She was insured for SIS, 900.
Origin Of the Rsre.
The Ere originated ia same bales OF paper
and rags. IL IL thsught 10 have been case
OF spontaneous combustion The cargo
consisted OF $1,000 worth OF crude rubber
a lighter Of baled GOTTEN, groceries, hard
ware, pianos, feather pillows and all sorts
OF miscellaneous stuff
This must be almost 4 total loss from
water The rubber may not have been In
iured TO any extelS, but the balance Of the
cargo was Of such perishable nature that
it must have been entirely destroyed