New-York tribune., 1900-05-07
PRICE THREE CENTS.
BABY DROWNED AT FIRE
POLICE ESTIMATE THE LOSS AT THE
MALLORY PIER AT 100000.
VESSELS TowED OUT INTO THE STREAM AND
SAVED-BARGES SUNK AND OTHER
PROPERTY DAMAGED

The fire which destroyed the Mallory Lin.
steamship pier az BurIng Slip and South-st. be-
tween and I o'clock yesterday morning as
told in the late editions Of The Tribune yester-
day resulted in the loss Of one Hfe-a babys.
The police estimated that the loss by fire was
Sl,DoOOp, but IL generally thought that
the damage considerably less than that
sum.
The Mallory Line pier was about two hundred
feet long and fifty feet wide and IL was at The
eastern end. near the water. that the fire
discovered burning in some merchandise by p.
a Pike one OF the night watchmen at a m.
When the firemen reached The scene third
alarm sent in. This was followed by a
fourth alarm. and by special calls for addi-
tonal engines. The pier itself was filed with
valuable freight. which was mostly cotton. on
the north side OF the pier were rn0ored a num-
ber of coal and cotton barges. while On the
south side the steamer San Marcos OF the
Mallory Line, and a number az other barges.
Before streams Of water were directed upon
the burning pier some hremen and a number
OF citizens tried to save the lives ~ those who
were sleeping board the harges Nearest
TO the pier on the north side was the stephen
p. Elkins. Her captain. Frank Fox. his wife,
his three months old daughter and baby were
awakened and hurried 10 a place Of safety.
on the Sherwood were Captain Charles I.aak-
years old. and their daughter Rosie. nine
months old Their barge was on fire at the time
they were aroused from sleep. The father took
the baby and bade his wife jump into the river.
She took the plunge fearlessly and he followed
her into the water with tae baby Captain
Timothy Boylan. of ROndout. plunged in 70
Mrs. Laakson. who had become exhausted.
Her husband, who stilI held the baby n his
arms and was keeping ahoat that his wife
rapidly being carried beneath "a scow He
struggled 10 get near his wife and to get away
from the when the baby slipped from his
arms. He then swan his wife and man
aged 20 hold her head above water until Boy
Ian helped him 10 hear her weight Patrolman
We'll. OF the ola slip station. threw them n life
line which the men tied around Mrs. s.aakson
and she dragged ashore The men were
pulled up afterward The Captain and his wife
taken TO the Old slip station and were
then removed 10 the Hudson Street Hospital
in an ambulance. The chIds body was re-
covered
The mate Of the lighter Arno Michael sheldon.
was compelled to jump into the river. He was
rescued ny Michael Sevin. assistant foreman of
Engine Company No. 4.
The steamer San Marcos was towed out into
the stream and escaped unhurt. At the south
side Of Pier No. tO the steamer Nueces. ard
Nueces was towed 70 the pier south % the burn
ing one. She was slightly 5ccrched on her port
side The upper rigging % the - James was
somewhat burned before she could be hauled
away.
Three fire boats-the Zophar Mills the Van
Wyck and the New Yorker-poured deIuge OF
water on the burning pier. -Four cotton barEes
and others laden with Corumeal and some loaded
with coal caught firc aud were destroyed some
of them We're also sunk 90 prevent the further
spread Of the flames 8t the order of the Fire
Department. The heat was go great that the
fremen I'm some Instances We're forced 10 Keep
their backs 10 the blaze and hold the lines of
hose their shoulders.
The entire pier, from flooring To roof and its
contents We're destroyed The IRE was under
control within an hour. So effective was the worN
of the fiTemen. The police ashore were com
manded by Captain Allaire 0f the Steamboat
squad one 81 the barges which the police boat
Patrol took in tow was saved in midstream hy
the fire apparatus ON the police boat
Henry Mallory. OF the owners ~ the line.
arrived at the pier early ir the day. he said
he did not know how the Or" started, and could
form adequate idea of the loss. He added
that there was little freight on the pier.
The Susan Clark, the :. T. ElkiDs and The ;.
II Hand three canalboats that were badly
damaged owned by John Longcnabine. 0f
No | Broadway. Mr. Longenabine arrived az
the scene Of the fire early in the afternoon Tie
said ne could not tell iust what the damage
would be To his boats. The : II. Hand. which
was loaded with coal. rests on the bottom ~
the slip. entirely submerged she was valued
a 81 .tH
The Elkfns was damaged about $500 and the
Clark about 81 VD. Two safes were recovered
Both were in fair condition
Edward Gallisan, one 81 the hremen on the
thirty-sx years old. a Norwegian. who was
asleep aboard the barge Marietta The captain
Of the barge could not find Bum. and Galiigan
went aboard and found him asleep In the cabin.
The Iaakson family was nearly asphyNiated
by coal gas on board the Sherwood three months
ago. They were found unconscious on the boat