The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-08-19

reached her East River berth on July 90, after
a fine run from Liverpool. and Immediately be-
gan taking In a cargo which was consigned by
Sutton & Co. Of 50 South street to Sutton d Beebe
Of San Francisco. As she was booked to sail for
San Francisco on Sept. l the work Of loading
her was hurried. Capt. Thomas q. Llbbey, his
wife and three children, the first and second
mates, the steward, and the carpenter slept
aboard.
About $40 o'clock yesterday morning the
captain woke up and perceived a decided odor Of
smoke. Running forward, he found that his
ship was aire. With all possible speed he woke
his shipmates and got his wife and children on
to the pier. Patrick Murphy. the Waterman on
Pier 10. saw smoke Issuing from the ships venti-
lator at the same time and went to the corner Of
Front street and Maiden, lane and turned in an
alarm. In a very few minutes 80 Engine, with
Capt. Whalen, Numbered down Tn the pier, and
hreboats New Yorker and Havemeyer steamed
from stem 70 stern. AS soon as Capt. 'Whai.n
learned. that she. had oils aboard and that a
side he sent for help. Deputy Chief y. J. Reilly
arrived with more engines, and soon many
streams from engines and treboats we're being
The smoke increased. and the oil In her hold
shifting the General Knox took a heavy list to
port. The iiremen decided that the only way to
save the ship was TO sink her at her pier by hll-
ing her with water; but the tide was ebblng,
and soon the General Knox grated her keel on
more as the ship heeled over, and the fremen
stationed there could hardly stand. The deck:
threatened to burn through at, any minute.
The ship careened again, and her yards
beside her. at Pier ls. One OF the
hawsers, with which she was moored was OF
pile was pulled from the river bed like a latR
under the enorm9us strain when the ship listed.
was dangerously near the ship, and the hazard
Gus task Of towing IL past the burning ship was
performed successfully. The ship Charmer.
lying at Pier 20, had also TO be towed out into
The crew of the burning ship were put at
work sloft fastening cables to the lower mast
heads and securing them to the far side Of the
pier to prevent further listing Of the ship. After
position she had taken up between the Knox
and the Oakes she tried to return, when the list
Ing Of the Knox mex bad been stopped: The tugs
Ing small streams into the Knox, were In her
way. Chief Reilly ordered the tugs away, but
they remained until the fremen directed q
stream of water into the Flushing's pilot house.
That induced them TO move.
through only once, and then a mass Of fire and
smoke shot up through the main h~atchway in a
great, pillar that lowered above her masts. This
lasted but a minute, and was caused by an ex-
plosion below, The intense heat drove the fire.
men from their posts; Capt. Waylqnd and Fire.
peril. They ran To the ships side, and Chamber
Ing over, chung 70 the rail. They hung there a
them aboard after the outburst Of flame sub
sided.
From $40 O'Clock until afternoon the fire.
boats and engines worked away. When the fire
was declared under control the ship was still
smoking, and there still was fire aft, but 1t
could not be reached, as the water which was
poured into the hull escaped through an open
port amidships, on the port side; In order. TO
complete the deluging OF the ship Frederick
Johnson. a diver employed by the Chapman
Derrick and Wrecking Company. went below
and nailed up the port. Then the water rose
within and the fire was soon out.
Capt. Libbey said that he could not account
for the fire. The General Knox was built In
1881, at ThOmastOn, Me-, and Is owned by Ed
ward O'Brien. She Is registered Al, and is 275
feet long. AZ feet beam, with a hold 90 feet deep.