The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-03-30

ALMOST FATAL FIRE
Erie Freight Wharf and
Three Barges Burned to
the Waters Edge.
THRILLING ESCAPE or The BARGEMEH
Forced by the Flames to Jump
Overheard, One May Die
Loss $4,000.
THRILLING ESCAPE or The BARGEMEH

fire which threatened the destruction
of the Erie Railroad passenger depot,
and will probably cost one man his life,
burned Pier No. 5 to the waters edge
and damaged three freight barges, broke
out at five O'Clock this morning. The
flames were first discovered on the south
side of the pier which was 100 feet long
and 60 feet wide. AS heavy fog hung
over the river and although volumes. of
black smoke poured from the burning
pier it attracted no unusual attention
until the watchman rushed into the
waiting room of the depot screaming
Fire" at the top of his voice An alarm
was at once sounded but before an en-
gine arrived a section of the pier about
200 feet long was in flames. For fire
engines to get within block of the con-
fiagration was impossible, so choked UP
is the Erie yard at that point. Hose
had to be stretched from Pavonia ave-
nue. through the train she'd then up
through the freight yard, a distance Of
one hundred yards or more, before an
effective stream could be turned on the
burning pier.
In the meantime the flames were
raging fiercely. Moored ito the pier were
three light barges, the GTeycourt, Am.
hurst and Muligan. The captains, all
unaware of their danger, were asleep in
the cabins. The flames grew closer and
closer until the frame work on the decks
caught on fire.. The heat awakened the
captains of the Amhurst and Greycourt,
and scantily attired they sprang on the
| burning pier and made their way to
Rafnra Ia pi1n
tain of the Mulligan, and his son, Peter
Hague, Jr., nineteen years old, could be
! awakened the hawsers which bound the
three bargeS to the pier had burned
ing boats across the slip against the
bullohead, on which are supported the
outer walls of the passenger station and
| office buildings The barge Anhurst
drffted alongside the loaded schooner En-
press and threatened it's destruction
when a gang of workmen from the rail
road yards were summoned. They un-
| loosed the hawsers which bound tine
boat and hauled her up slip about 2Ol
| feet out of harms way In the midst
of the excitement Captain Hague and
! his son, who hail from Rondout, N Y,
appeared ON the deck of uhe Mulligan
| in slim attire. All about their boat was
on fire, but both men seemed to be be-
| wildered.
Jump. for Gods sakey' yelled dozen
men.
Neither man paid any attention to the
warning, but ran up and down the burn
ing deck like mad men, Finally the son
plunged headforefnDsf INTO the icy water
For moment only he struggled, and then
he was drowned, and was SO reported te
the police. He has since turned up safe
and sound none the worse for mis- cold
bath. His father believing he had been
| drowned. became horror stricken. The
| flames crept closer and closer to him,
but he seemed unmindful Of the agony
| he must have been enduring, until he
seemed to fall rather than jump over
board. While efforts were being made
to throw him life preserver, Archibald
LoekrIdge, Of Engine Company No 8
| avenue, had secured a rowboalt, and were
| pulling in the direction of the struggling
man with all their might. They seized
him as he was sinking. and drawing him
| into the boat. quickly landed him on the
pier He was placed in one of the Fire
Department supply wagons and removed
conscious. 1t was then noticed that the
hair on the back of his head had been
burned loff, and that his neck. breast,
| shoulders, legs and arms were so terribly
burned that the skin had cracked in many
places. While Hague was being removed
the, situation had assumed a serious as
peel. The three burning barges were
so close to. the passenger station that the
outer boards We're steaning and crackine
at a lively rate. To prevent it from,
catching on fire seemed almost impossible
General Freight Agent Max Staples
chaneed 20 happen around, and he at once
Instructed the tiremen to abandon the
pier and bargss to their fate and save
the depot. Three streams were turned
on the building, and this doubtless pre-
vented its destruction. While the fire
men We're battling with the barges and
the slip the Erie Railroad fire tugs
Shohola. Gallon, Nyack and Don Juan ar
rived and soon, had 3effective streams
hose had also beenA stretched from
Eleventh street across the railroad tracks
so that the .northerly end of the pier was
being drenched. Within an hour the
flames were under control. and by eleven ZEN
o'clock had been entirely extinguished
The pier, which was a covered one, was
burned to the waters edge. 50 that ali
stood. was used exclusively for the
transportation of west bound lighter
feright,. It's destruction entails a loss Of
covered by insurance. Saturday night
and yesterday the pier had been practi-
cally cleared Of freight. SO that the loss
A quantity Of sugar and grain were des-
troyed.
Agent Staples says he is unable to esti-
mate e.. the & loss on freight. and will have
were chartered by. the railroad The
Grayeour5 " Is y owned by the Erie outright,
owned by John Rogers and II. Riley. re-
( spectivelv, of New York
While they are badly burned. the bulls
remain intact. so that little expense vii viii
be involved in retitting Them. They are
damaged to the extent Of about 5000
each, covered by insurance How HE
fire started is not known, but it is SUP
posed It originated in a checkers Office:
IN. which there are small stoves.
A rigid investigation is to be made.
While the fire was in progress there
was considerable commotion In the passer,-
ger station.
-snoul lq5noIq suTn1l srgulotu 6I1gs eur
ands of people In. and all stopped to look
alt the blaze The presence of hose
stretched through the station and ferry
house inconvenienced truekmen, and
there was consequently delay in the depar-
ture OF ferrybqets The police did ex-
cellent duty, a., preserved remarkably
good order undeI 'he circumstances.
THE KATAHDlN'S TRIAL.
WASHINGTON, March 80, 1sas.-Tlhe
no n, T<afaffir now al 4t,a nrS- ~,