New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-03-13
PRICE FIVE CENTS.
HAY MAKES A BIG BLAZE.
ERIE RAILROAD SHEDS WIPED OUT By
FIERCE FLAMES.
THOUSANDS OF BALES GO UPIN SMOKE AND THE
NORTH RIVER rs BRILLIANTLY ILLUMI-
NATED-THE Loss ABOUT 100000.

NATED-TIE LOSS ABOUT SlcO,OOO.
Flames started in the big wooden pier OF tho
Erie Railroad Company at Pavonia-ave in Jersey
City about 80 o'clock last evening They
spread with astonishing rapidty and soon threat
cned to cause Of those big waterfront bazes
which have often given the fremen great trouble.
1t thought at first that the big grain elc-
vator Of the Erie Company was on fire and alarm
after alarm was sent ont in rapid succession.
Within ten minutes from the time when the flames
were discovered the whole Jersey City fire depart
ment on the way to the pier. Fire boats OF
the Pennsylvania Erie and jersey Central roads
were summoned and within few minutes not
less than dozen sending great streams into
the blaze and doing admirable work.
The pier where the blaze started was about 500
feet long, and fifty in width. 1t was used for
storing hay and cotton. At the time hay was
stored there variously estimated at from $4,000
to 40 900 bales. The flames spread with amazing
rapdity and in less than half hour the inn
mensc quantity of hay was blazing mass.
Between the pier where the long shed was and
the immense grain elevator Of the Erie Company
is narrow canal. The flames leaped across this
and caught on the elevator pier. Desperate efforts
made TO save the elevator, and the blaze
was kept from reaching it.
Alongside the elevator pier lay twelve big
barges loaded with hay. Tugs quickly took them
in tow and got them ont to the river They were
in flames, however, and four of them could not ne
saved They were The Burlngham the Suffolk.
the IIuntly and the Mary Osborne. They were
burned TO the waters edge.
The people on the burned barges were res
cned, but three of them, two men and woman,
were forced to jump into the river. They were
all dragged from the water with difficulty. the
....,, altffr ri
sufocation. They were removed in an uncon-
scious condition to st. Francis's Hospital
4 milk depot running parallel to the long pier
soon caught fire and the 1imsy sheds were
quickly destroyed. There were no nilkcans In
them however, and the loss here was not great.
Freight traffic on part of the Erie yard tracks
was suspended for a time, but there was no ln-
terruption to the ferry service. The boats made
regular trips the passengers being escorted Irom
the boats by squads of police. People In jersey
City however, who wished TO get TO the boats
had TO fight their way through an immense crowd
which had poured into Pavonia-ave from all
Jersey City.
The sky was brilliantly Illuminated by the
bIaze and nearly every one in Jersey City who
viewed the blaze from distance believed
that the Erie station and the grain
elevator were burning In the North RIVER
the light was SO bright that every moving ooPct
could be plainly observed from "a long DISTANCE;
Firm tbe burning hay rolled up dense clouds OF
pitchy smoke which spread ont and hung over
the flames for hours. the fire was stubborn
one. and at midnight the flames could ne
| nIainIv seen far ND and down the
river, while the red reflection shone in the CLOUDY
| sky. IL, s 90 hi; ara
| its work was so swift that great destrucucu
seemed to follow its PATH the loss was not nearly
50 heavy was expected An omcial OF tne Liie
| ftu,ot cd at
others placed IT at 100000. 1t will probapiy oe
| between the two amounts.