The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-05-19
STEAMER BARBAROSSA ON FIRE.
Runs Into La Bretagne and Sinks Two
Barges,

Barges.
New York, May 1S-With thick smoke
futerng up from her forward ventila-
tors and the fire signal displayed in her
| rigging the North North Lloyd ocean
liner Barbarossa put back into port this
afternoon ending a trip, which though
Of only a few hours duration, was full
of exciting incidents, The Barbarossa,
which carries United States mails,
drew out of her dock at IL o'clock this
morning ocean-bound. She carried five
hundred saloon and cabin passengers,
several hundred emigrants in the steer
age, crew of two hundred and fifty
and a general cargo of merchandise, in
which were over 1000 bales of cotton.
She was under command of Captain
A. Richter and bound for Bremen.
There were many persons of prom nence
on the docks of the big steamship as
she crept out of the North river, among
| them Professor Charles A. Briggs with
his wife and daughters.
| Just as the Barbarossa was passing
through the Narrows a slight wreath
of smoke was sesn curling up from one
of the forward ventilators. In a short
time it grew in volume and it was DIS
covered coming from one of the forward
port compartments in which the cotton
was stored Ship on fire-want imme-
diate assistance was the signal in
stantly run aloft. Captain Richter
could not imediately turn back owing to
the narrow channel and had to steam on
to wider berth. At the southwest spit
he turned about and headed for port
At this the marine observers flashed the
news to the city that the Barbarossa
was on fire and the two fire boats 70
phar Mills and Robert A. Van Wyck
We're sent down the bay. The fire boats
and all others that ran alongside Offer
ing assistance We're told that the fire
could best be fought at the pier in
Hoboken. The Barbarossa ploughed On
towards her dock with the other smaller
craft all about her.
On rounding the Battery it is neces-
sary to slacken speed and hug the New
York shore because of the number of
craft in the river. When she neared
the ferry slip, Christopher ferry boat
slipped out The Barbarossa had to
dodge this and also cattle ship Then
appeared the United States mail boat
and on Erie lighter The Barbarossa
struck the lighter and sustained a bent
prov. This threw her into the slips.
The side of the vessel struck the end
of pier A. throwing the bow into the
French liner La Bretagne which lay at
her dock she struck with such force
that LaBretagne was stove in and was
ramn1ed SO hard that all of her gang
ways and freight skids We're smashed
into splinters. LaBretagne's prov was
run clear through the barge Foster
sinking that boat, and rammed the
barge Leroy so badly that she sank
within a short time The Barbarossa
was hauled off and st1I burning fierce
1y below decks was taken across the
river to her dock in Hoboken Her
prov was badly twisted, the paint was
burned off her sides, and some of her
plates sprung.
Her cotton laden compartment was
flooded and about o'clock the fire was |
extinguished. All of her passengers |
have been put off. No estimate can be
made of the damage to the Barbarossa
much of the cotton was burned al |
though all of it is water soaked An |
enormous quantity of cereals was in |
the hold near the compartment in which |
the cotton was, and it is thought this
suffered. Tt is believed the Rarbaroysa |
will be put in shape for sailing on Sat
urday.
The damage to La Bretaene is heavy. |
A wedge-shaped gap appears six or
eight feet wide on the decks and tapers
down below the water line. General
Superintendent Jean deBocando, Of the
French line, said IT cannot say how
great our loss is until LeBretagne is
put in dry dock. This Will be done i'm
I hope to get her off on her
regular trip next Wednesday. Not
the temporary repairs and
efforts made to stop the flow of water,
the ship has settled considera bly,, but
fears are not entertained as to her
sinking The two sunken barges with
their cargoes were valued at about
sc, 900.