The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-07-01

Frightfu Loss of Life at a Great Fire in
Hoboken.
4 STEAMSHIPS BURNED TO WATERS EDGE

capped
The fire was first discovered by
Waterman on the pier at four clock He
saw small streak of flame shoot from a
bale of cotton on Pier No. 2, at which
was locked the steamer Saale. He i'm
mediately sent in an alarm.
In a few minutes the flames had ex-
tended to the steamship and were COM
municated to the adjoining pier on the
north. Here were docked the Kaiser Will
helm der Crosse and the Main. Tugs
were Immediately made fast to the big
Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse and she was
gotten out into mid-stream with safety,
although badly scorched at the bows.
The steamship Main, however. was doom
ed, as the flames had already leone
so fierce on the north side of the pier that
no tug could approach the vessel Then,
by a shift in the wind, the flames were
sent in the direction of Pier No 1, which
was to the south end Of Pier No. 2. To
the north of Pier No. 1 was the docN OF
the Hamburg American Line, at which
the steamship Phoenicia, twin screw
passenger steamer of 761 gross tons was
locked. The flames got a good hold on
the Phoenicia. and she was towed out
into mdstream ablaze.
BLEW UP THE DOCK.
The officials of the Hamburg American
Line then decided that the only way to
prevent total destruction of their great
pier was to blow up the side of The dock
at which the Phoenicia lay, and this was
done. number of barges 6ocke.l at
the pier also took fire, but in the effort
to save the other property, no attention
was paid to them and they were allowed
to burn. 1t is feared that the loss of life
in the holds of the vessels was frighIful,
and it is said that many Of the crews
who were asleep at the time were i'm
prisoned there. The worst tale will come
from the steamship Main, which was un
able to be towed from the pier
The vessel had only arrived this mora
ing and some passengers were still on
board, and when the cry of fire was raised
q number of them were seen to run to
the burning decks. Most of them jumped
overheard, and. save for the few who
were picked up by the tugs not one has
been heard from. although every hotel
and hospital in the city of Hoboken is
crowded with injured.
Some OF the passengers of the Main
tried to escape to the pier, and it was
almost certain that they persisted in the
flames. There was panic on each of the
ships. Many persons jumped overheard
and the water for some distance along the
docks was lined with people. They were
clinging to the piers, and even to the
rudders of the. burning vessels. Some
were picked up many were drowned.
Peter Quinn, justice of the peace in
a
at least 80 people perish. He said
81 was standing on the end of one of
the Hamburg American Line piers and
saw about thirty people crowd under
Pier No. 1 of the North German Lloyd.
They were calling to some of the passing
tug boats, but their appeals were in vain,
and when the flames got near to them
they dived into the water. There was no
assistance near them at the time, and 1
believe everyone was either drowned or
persisted in the flames"
About 200 people were rescued at the
Hamburg American Line pier. They
were much overcome from exhaustion
but soon revived with stimulants.
FIRE COMPANIES HELPLESS.
When the fire broke out such head
way was gained by the time the Hoboken
fire department arrived that they were
utterly helpless to cope with the flames.
They were further handicapped by hav-
ing several hundred feet of hose burned
Calls were made to the New York fire
department for assistance and fire tugs
ware sent over. These. however, had
but little effect on the great mountain of
flame and smoke.
no pio Of thn
North German Lloyd Steamship Company
had been burned to the ground. The
Southern end of the campbell storage
company buildings, consisting of five story
structures caught fire and the flames shot
from every window from the two floors
in but few minutes. The buildings, be-
ing filled mainly with jute and whiskey
burned rapidly. The firemen were unable
to go within fighting distance and the
fire had pretty much it's own way there.
In these buildings great loss will be
sustained.
after being pulled free from the docks,
were towed ablaze down the bay and
beached off Liberty Island.
On the Bremen as she blaZed out in
mid-stream six men could be seen with
handkerchiefs for assistance. Tug boats
and small boats darted around the big
steamship making eve-y effort to save
the men, but the terrible heat from the
flames kept them away The saving of
the great Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse was
attended with exciting incidents. 1t
seemed as if it would never be possible
to get her clear and the fire was spread
ing so RAPIDLY that it threatened at al
most any moment to break out on the
big ships. The great hawsers in the con-
fusion could not be handled. and axes
were brought into use to chop them, re-
leasing the vessel. She was towed out
into mid-stream and then far up the
river. Her bows were slightly burned.
BOTH WENT DOWN TO DEATH.
Five minufes after the fire broke out