New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-01
ABLAZE AT HER PIER.
PENNSYLVANIA ANNEX BOAT NO. .
DESTROYED BY FIRE.
STILL BURNING. SHE is TOwED TO CoMMuNiPAw
FLATS ACCOMPANIED ny SEVERAL FIRE
TUGS. AND BEAcHED-THE ORIGIN
OF THE FLAMES NOT KNOWN.


TUGS. AND BEAcHED-THE ORIGIN
OF THE FLAMES NOT KNOWN
The glores OF a spring sunset over the Nor'h
River greatly enhanced last evening ps
flames from the burning Pennsylvania haiiroau
Annex boat No. ). which went up IN IRE anu
smoke at about g o'clock She was tea up a'
her Jersey City slip when the fire was nrst dis-
covered and before she could be got INTO the
stream she had become mass OF flames
AS she was freshly painted. the fire spread rap
idly and burned brilliantly. and the spec'acie
which illuminated the North River drew thou-
sands to the Jersey City and New-fork rooitops
and pier fronts to witness 1t.
The Annex boat had been laid up for overhaul
ing in the Fletcher Iron Works at HoboKen' anu
only Yesterday afternoon she was towed 10 ficr
c. at York-st.. Jersey City, next to the Annex
slip The painters continued TO work on ner' as
she was to be ready to-day to begin the transfer
Of passengers from the Fall River Line boats 10
Jersey City and Brooklyn. At about o;4o 'he
painters finished their work. and left the ooa''
Only Leroy Coca. the engineer. ana John Do!'e'
the fireman. remaining on board
few moments later the attention of James
McAllamv the dock watchman. was called 10
smoke issuing from the decks Of the boat over
the engineer and fireman. who were away for
ward. and in a moment the men found that fire,
with considerable Roadway on. was already rag
ire between decks Alarms were sent In 10 the
Jersey CITY and Pennsylvania Railroad Fire de-
partments. and within a few minutes fire engines
and fire tugs were on the scene.
As Pier c was in danger. the first work was TO
get the blazing ferryboat out into the stream A
bawscr iun to her by the PENNSYLVANIA Kali
road nretug Trenton and the boat towed
out into the river The hawser burned through
orce and the burning boat drifted a short dis
tancc up the North River with the current. but
she was captured again and towed, blazing
mass down the river. the Pennsylvania com
pany's fire tugs Juanita. Trenton, America,
Radnor Delaware and Bevdere. and the fire
boat New Yorker Of the New-fork Department.
all following and pouring powerful streams OF
water into her
BEFORE the flames were subdued the boat had
buried TO the waters edge she was beached on
the fats near Liberty Island.
1t Is not known in Just what way the IRE start
ed but il is supposed to have been either from
Oyerheat ed fresh paint or from q match careless
" droI ped among the paints and oils which the
PAINTERS had left on board just under the Wonl-
ems cabin This makes the third or the fennsy . =
vania Railroad ferryboats which has been
burned the first an Annex boat. being destroyed
by fire under the Brooklyn Bridge ten years ago
and n second, the New Brunswick, or the Cort-
lendt-st line, being burned to the water eugs &c
last December The hulks Of this boat and OF
Annex No > now lie side by side on the COM
munipaw flats.
Annex boat No. : was built in Wilmington.
Del in 1891 at n cost Of about SODIUM she rs
1867 feet long 81 feet beam and lis feet deep:
She Is of 200 horse power. and double -deckeG
side-wheeer or six Annex boats which the
PENNSYLVANIA road has owned. but two now re-
NJ ain M 4 and the Annex. II was said last
night that an investigation into the cause Of the
fire would probably be held at once.