The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-05-07

New York, May 6.-A fire that start
ed at the river end of the Mallory line
steamship pier, at the foot of Maiden
lane and the East river, early this
morning, completely destroyed the pier
and its valuable contents. The police
place the loss at s1.OOO,OOO Several
barges which were moored near the
pier were also destroyed, and MANY
rescues of their captains and Of the
members of the families on board were
also made. One life was lost. The
9-months-old daughter of Captain
Charles Lochs of the barge Sherwood
was drowned.
The Mallory line pier was 200 feet
long and fifty feet wide. The pier was
filled with valuable freight, mostly cot
ton. On the north side of the pier were
moored d number of coal and cotton
barges, while on the south side was
the steamer San Marios and number
Of barges.
No sooner had the work Of fighting
the flames begun than the hTemen
turned their attention to saving the
lives Of those on the baTges which were
lying within the line Of danger. Near
est to the pier was the barge stephen
=. Elkins. Her captain, Frank Fox,
and his wife his 3-months-old daugh-
ter and a baby were on board and
sleeping. A skid was quickly run from
the pier TO the coal barge, the Occu-
pants of the boat were awakened and
were hurried from their hunks to a
place Of safety before the flames had
reached them.
On board the barge Sherwood we're
Charles Lochs, the captain, 56 years
old: his wife, Lennas 81 years old, ana
their daughter. Rosie, months old.
The Lochs family was awakened by
the flames. Their barge was already
on fire at the time that they were
aroused from sleep. The father took
the 9-mOnths-Old baby in his arms and
with his wife jumped into the water.
Timothy Boyle, formerly in command
of the barge New Brunswick, whose
home is at ROndOut, n Y, plunged in
to save the woman, who had become
exhausted. Her husband, who still
held the baby in his arms, saw that his
wife was on the point OF going down.
lie Saved His Wife.
1t became a question to pm as to
which he should save, his wife or baby.
Re therefore let the baby go, in the
hope that she would be picked UP by
some one else, and went to the assist
ance of his wife. He managed to hold
her head above water until Boyle
reached them. All three were then
landed by life lines. The half-drowned
captain and his wife were removed to
the Hudson Street hospital. They re-
covered, but the child was dead.
l.. 4 .s7t,
lay alongside the other burning baTges.
were the captain, Joseph Plumb his
wife and two children. All were res
cued by the police. PatrOlman Jere-
miah Cronin was badly burned while
taking one of the children ashore. All
hands on board the lighter ATno got
ashore safely Michael Sheldon of that
boat was compelled to jump into the
river, from which he was rescued.
Three large vessels were lying so near
the blazing pier that their safety was
endangered. They were the steamer
San MariOS and the steamer Neuces,
which were tOwed out into mid-stream,
and the bark st. James, the rigging of
which was burned before she could be
gotten out of harms way.
The scene on the water was a most
exciting one. The river was filed with
steam craft engaged in towing the
various vessels and barges to places
of safety. Four cotton barges, others
laden with corn meal and some loaded
with coal caught fire and were de-
stroyed. Some Of them were also sunk
10 prevent the further spread Of the
flames.
Tenants Were Frightened.
A number of buildings on South street
were scorched and several were emD-
tied of their tenants. who feared that
the buildings would be burned. Henry
Mallory said regarding the fire:
Il have no idea how the fire started
and l can form no adequate idea Of
the loss. The entire pier is destroyed,
together with the Offices and other
buildings on the bulkhead. My brother
Charles sailed for Europe ten days ago
and he will remain abroad two months
notwithstanding this catastrophe. I
cannot tell what our immediate plans
will be or when we shall begin to build.
Our books and other documents were
destroyed and I cannot say anything
about the insurance at present. The
only positive information that I can
give at present is that fortunately, at
the time of the fire there was not the
usual amount of freight on the pier. as
the Comal sailed at 8 p. m. Saturday
and cleared up most of the overflow.
I positively cannot FIX the origin of the
fire, give the amount of damage or
approximate the amount of the insur-
ance-"
Beers Were Forced Out.
i