The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-05-19
BIG STEAMSHIP AFlRE
THE BARBAROssA FORCED TO PUT
BACK FOR SANDY HOOK.
Furry Among the 4S7 Passengers-
Struck by the Imperiled Steamer.

NEW YORK, May 1s.-The North Ger
man Lloyd steamship Barbarossa, whicn
sailed for Southampton and Bremen at IL
o'clock this morning. was discovered on nre
while she was passing Sandy Hook, two
hours later and put back to port. The fire
was in the forward hold. The Barbarossa
fought the fire with steam and water, and
with the aid of wrecking tugs and fireboats
drowned it out two hours later, while lying
at quarantine. The vessel, while on her
way UP the river after the fire in her hold
had been put out hit the French liner La
Bretagne. lying at her pier, in the North
river, showing the Bretagne's bow through
two ice barges, the Richard Foster and the
Leroy, sinking them. No one was injured.
The cargo in the Barbarossa's forehold VIII
have to be discharged before the vessel re-
sumes her voyage.
There was some furry among the 4SI pas
sengers when they discovered that fire was
consuming the cargo between decks, but no
matches were removed and all on board
were assured there was no danger. When
the steamship started back she set signals
reading that she was afire and wanted help.
These she changed on her way up through
the bay, asking aid to stand by ready TO
take off her passengers. Shipping men and
the lookout at Sandy Hook noted the Bar
barossa when she Stacked her speed off the
southwest spit, and as soon as she broke
out her signals started 10 render whatever
service was possible. kilograms were sent
to the fire department here, to the agents
and to quarantine. The captain of the gov
eminent steamer Ordnance summoned his
crew and that of the life-saving station at
Sandy Hook and started at once in pursuit
Of the big ship. which was then under full
Roadway. A number Of smaller craft trailed
along in her wake. 1t was seen from the
shore that the fire had not got beyond the
control of the crew. The decks had not
been cleared of passengers, and there was
no indication of smoke arising from the bat
tended-down matches. She travelled along at
a good rate in the center of the channel
At 2:10 O'Clock the vessel came up abreast
of the quarantine station and slowed down.
The wrecking tug William Cooley was In
the stream to meet her and was at once
dashed alongside. Hose from the Cooley
big pumps was passed up to the deck or the
Barbarossa and the tugboat at once COM
compartment. The hold where the fire
started was No. 8, and with the water that
was poured into ii and the adjoining Sec
tons the big liner soon commenced to go
down by the head. A big force Of the YES
sells crew was kept at work over the Sec
burned.
The fireboats New Yorker and Robert A.
Van Wyck had started down from the Bat
big steamship was coming back to the city.
Soon after they got under way the Zophaer
Mills and a boat chartered by the agents
of the North German Lloyd line started
down. They reached the vessel while she
was lying off Stapleton and helped fight the
IRE. At twenty-five minutes past O'Clock
the blaze had been entirely drowned out.
Immediately the Barbarossa started for her
pier in Hoboken under escort of a fleet OF
tugs. Her passengers did not seem particu-
larly concerned over the situation. 1t is
hoped that the steamship will be able to
sail tomorrow. Passengers were allowed
to go ashore Among the 1876 cabin passen-
gers on board were Dr. Charles A. Briggs
and family, Mr.. and Mrs. w. ID. Boyce, Of
Chicago.
Another dispatch says that on rounding
the Battery it was necessary to Slacken
speed and hug the New York shore because
of the number of craft on the river. AS
soon as the Barbarossa Deared the ferry
sips Christopher street ferry boat slipped
out. The BarbaroSSa had to dodge this and
also a cattle ship. Then appeared the United
States mail boat and an Erie lighter. The
Barbarossa struck the lighter and sustained
bent Prov. This threw her into the slips.
The side of the vessel struck the end of Pier
Al. throwing the bow into the French
liner lie Bretange, which lay at the dock.
She struck with such force that the Bre-
tango was stove in. She was rammed so
hard that all of the gangways and freight
skidS were splintered. Her prov was run
clear through the barge Foster, sinking the
barge Immediately. The barge Leroy was
rammed so badly that she sunk within a
short time. The Barbarossa was hauled off
and. still burning fiercely below decks. taken
across the river to her dock in Hoboken
Her PROV was badly twisted, the paint off
her sides and some of her plates sprung
Her cotton-laden compartment flooded
and about 8 o'clock the fire was extir-
gushed. All of her passengers had been
put off.
The damage to La Bretagne is heavy. A
wedge-shaped gap appears six or eight feet
wide on the deck and tapers down below the
water line. General Superintendent Jean De
Bocande. of the French line. said: IT cannot
say how great our loss is until La Bretagne
is put In dry dock. This will be done imme-
diately. / hope TO get her off on her regular
trip next "Wednesday. Notwithsta nding the
temporary repairs and efforts made TO stop
the flow of water. the Bretagne is settled
considerably. but fears not entertained of
the ship sinking. The two sunken barges,
with their cargoes. were valued at about
5000