New-York tribune., 1900-07-01
CUT OFF FROM ESCAPE.
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steamer saale He Immediately sent in an
alarm.
In few minutes the flames had extended to
the steamship and were communicated to the
adjoining pier the north. Here were decked
the Bremen and the Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse.
Both steamships were ablaze, but before
the flames had made much headway the
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse the big liner was
pulled out by tugs, and her crew soon extin-
guished the fire in her upper works,
In three or four minutes more the flames
had swept to Pier No. 4, the south side of
which lay the Main The fire had extended also
to Pier No. l. that furthest to the south.
SPECTACLE OF GREAT FURY.
Soon a spectacle of great fury was presented.
Four immense piers, three large ocean steam
ships and several barges and lighters
blazing at once The flames rose high and
sent out dense volumes of smoke. The heat
was terrific. Above the roar OF the flames and
the whistle of tugboats could be heard despair
ing cries for help.
There was general panic each Of the
ships. Many persons jumped overheard, and
the water for some distance along the piers was
lined with people They clinging to the
piers and even to the rudders of the burning
vessels Some were picked up; many were
drowned.
Presently the SaaIe drifted out Of her dock.
Her moorlngs had been burned away. few
minutes later the Bremen drifted out into the
stream The tide sent both burning steam
ships toward the middle OF the river, and several
tugboats hastened toward them. trying to give
aid.
A strong west wind prevailed yesterday after
noon, which carried the smoke from Hoboken
in a broad, drifting belt of dun coored vaPor
across Manhattan Island to Brooklyn. where
it settled down apparently over Williamsburg
and Greenpoint.
The Fire Department of Hoboken could not
do much prevent the rapid spread of the fire.
All it could do was to protect houses near the
burning piers. The New-York freboats went to
I the scene. but could not do more than protect
some shipping that IN danger. The direc-
ton of the wind helped the piers of the
Hamburg Line on the south, and the wide gap
progress Of the flames there after the great
Campbell storehouse fronting the river had
been destroyed.
BY o'clock the three piers of the North Ger
man Lloyd Steamship Company had been
burned to the ground.
GOOD FOOD FOR THE FIRE.
The southern end of the Campbell Storage
Companys building, consisting of five fve-story
structures caught fire, and flames shot from
every window from the two floors in a few
minutes The buildings being filled mainly with
jute and whiskey. made good food for the fire.
The flames were 81 hot that the firemen were
unable TO go within fighting distance and the
blaze had largely its own way there.
The grandeur and the tragedy Of the great
conhagration were presented perhaps more Wv
idly TO the passengers on the Barclay-st, ferry
boats than TO any others of the thousands of
spectators who viewed various phases of it from
other points. In the distance. as boat left the
slip in this city. could be seen the rolling masses
of heavy smoke, shot with flame. which showed
where the fine piers of the steamship line were
being rapidly destroyed. Nearer by, and
coming more closely into view with each revo-
luton Of the ferryboat's screw as sne made her
way up the river toward Hoboken, were the
three steamships which had been cut from their
moorings and were drifting with the tide
Furthest south the saale. all ablaze, her stern
sunken and her bow high in air. Surrounding
her, and as close in as the great heat would al
low, were Iifeboats, which had been launched
from her deck before the flames had gained their
irresistible headway and which were manned
by some OF her crew.
AN AWFUL SCENE.
AS the ferryhoat passed the blazing liner at
distance of not more than one hundred yards.
her passengers were eye witnesses of tragic
scene, for away down in the body of the fated
vessel, close to the waterline, were doomed
wretches at the lowest line of portfolios, through
which they waved their arms as they shouted
farewells and appeals for help to thei rfrends in
the small boats, who lay on their oars abso-
lutely powerless to aid the imprisoned men.
Now and then of the victims would stretch
his arm out and soak in the river rag to be
used perhaps in aeviating the torment OF other
men in the compartment with him. and as he
leaned forward the painfully distressed specta-
tors on the ferryboat could see his face.
A little further up stream was the big Kaiser
Wilhelm der Crosse. with her four yellow fun
nels but this hne vessel had by great good fort
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