New-York tribune., 1891-03-06
CITY OF RICHMOND IN FLAMES
SHE MAKES A BIG AND STUBBORN BLAZE
TWO MEN LOSE THEIR LIVES AND OTHERS HAVE
NARROW ESCAPES.

TWO MEN LOSE THEIR LIVES AND OTHERS HAVE
NARROW ESCAPES
The freboat Ncw-Yorker had a chance TO show
what she could do in the way Of putting out
fire on another vessel yesterday. soon after 5
p. u. flames were discovered among some oales
OF rags and waste paper on the forward deck oI
the steamboat City Of Richmond, lying at fler
No. "a, East River, near Peck Slip. The steam
boat is wooden side-wheeler, which was ouilt
for traffic on the James River seven years ago
at a cost Of $4,000 and was purchased by the
Ncw-lork and Hartford Transportation Company
for $4,000 three years ago Since then she
has been making regular trips between this city
and Hartford "a n freight boat. She to sail
from her New-York pier at p. m. yesterday with
4 mixed cargo valued at about S100,0 900. Cap
tain H. f. May and First Officer Thomas Dolan
were on the steamboat, with about a dozen mem-
bers of the crew. when the flames were discovered
They said later that the fire spread through the
upper part of the vessel with amazing rapldlty
Every man had to run for his life Henry Page
an oier In the engine-room, fell from lauoer
and received serious internal injuries lie was
helped TO the pier, and later was sent 10 the
Gouverneur Hospital. Steward Hill was caught
in the binding smoke and had marrow escape
from sufocation He was about the last man
to leave the burning vessel. George II. jones,
the receiving clerk the pier, gave the alarm
4 third alarm was sounded by the fremen who
first reached the wharf
The wind was blowing toward the river, ana
the iremen who went WIKI. The engines were apic
to work at advantage from the roof OF the
long. low shed which covered the pier close to the
City of Richmond. Although the shed took fire
and was damaged at the river end, no attempt
IL l,,.,, ,,,,.,c ctaa atNahn m
the stream. The two freboats, New-York and
Zophar Mills pollcd their noses through the CLOUDS
of smoke close up TO the City of Richmond, and
from behind iron shields the firemen directed
powerful streams of salt water upon the flames
So much of the water went into the hold Oh Nhe
steamboat tina, she began to settle and was In
donoer Of sinking. The combined land and water
forces of the Fire Department saved the steam
boat from destruction. Part of the wooden upper
works of the boat remained after the flames were
cxtinruishcd and the hull and machinery were
not much injured The vessel was said to De In
sured for $4,000. and Mr.. Smith, the companys
orcnt thought the damage to the vessel Wouli
NOT exceed $4,000. IL was impossible To teIi
what salvage there would be on the cargo, pL'
Mr. Smith said that the owners o. lfei5no 2rT" o,
ably would not lose more than $4V,ooV' iH0S
probably are protected by insurance. .,.
When the iiIrmcn were able TO make seatch
through the damaged vessel they lonnd 'naV 'ile m
fire had caused the loss oi human ne alS2; 40
.l ';,,i,,r-ron,n ay The body of llalscy Ill.,
clorrI f waiteT thrty-yc years old whose home
was on the boat. 1t was evident from thc ;d1 apI
nrarauce of the body thtt llil hld perh @
i'hiIo trvino to cscaUc. Hi, corpse, when was
no, touched by tic flames. was removed 10 the
MOrgIc. IL, io1 ma,
n 9 o'clock the body Of another coiorcd iiidh
was found on the main deck among the Wiccka7t;
II had been badly burned, but was ldentilcd
rs that of Samuel Lampson one OF the WaileIs'
Al a late hour the vessel had SUNK ana was ,;
inc On the bottom, with her guards awaSh' llan
rho wreckcrs raise the hull 1t will not be known
if other lives have been lost.
The cause Of the fire was not known