The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-10-22
BOAT
BURNED.
Central Passengers Gotten
Off Without Harm
to Any.
HINT OF INcENDlARlsM
Company Refuses to Dis
cuss the Rumor
Total Loss.


The Jersey Central ferryboat Elizabeth,
valued at about $4,000, was this morning
burned to the waters edge and totally
destroyed There is slight hope OF even
saving any of the machinery. The lives
OF twelve passengers and Of the crew
were in danger for a few minutes, but
no one was injured, everyone being landed
at the slip through the excellent manage
ment of the crew and those engaged
about the ferryhouse.
The fire and its origin are mysterious
and some are suspicious of incendiarism-
The belief that the fire was of incendiary
origin is founded on the fact that the
railroad authorities are anxious to learn
the identity and whereabouts of man
who is described as about feet inches
tall, dressed in blue suit. This man was
the first one off the boat and he was in a
great hurry. Immediately after he had
been lost to sight anxious inquiries were
made about him. On this point no one at
the ferry would speak. 1t was evident
that they were anxious to conceal some-
thing. The police do not consider that
this means that the ferry officials are
suspicious, because on all occasions when
accidents are under discussion railroad
men maintain silence and avoid publicity
as much as possible.
The Elizabeth is one of the Oldest boats
in commission in the Central service. It
is a single deck, side wheeler, and had
been running TO Liberty street for long
time. This morning it was put on the run
to Whitehall street. 1t left Whitehall
street at S:45 o'clock. When it was in
mid-stream Fireman Jacob Olsen noticed
great deal of smoke in the hold and
began an investigation. He found that
the boat was afire near the crank pin Of
the walkingbeam. He tried to check the
flames, but the effort was futile and the
flames quickly spread to the wood work
near where they originated. In sur
prisingly short time the whole of the hold
was afire and Olsen was forced to flee.
He was met at the stairway from the
hold by Captain Smith and Wileelmen FL
mer Van WaIt. Their passage below deck
was made impossible by the outpouriils
of smoke Wheelman Van Wart hastened
back to the pilot house and rushed the
boat to the slip. The crew and passen-
gers quickly landed An alarm was sent
to the Fire Department of this city, but 1t
was impossible to get the engines to the
scene on time.
The Elizabeth began whistling as soon
as the fire was discovered and it was
soon surrounded with tugs Of all kinds
Many fire rugs played streamers on the
purning boat, but there was no chance TO
save it and it was towed to the fats TO
burn out. On the way to the flats the
tugs had difficulty in towing the boat so
10 xxrIfh nj
and set them afire.
The Lehigh Valley tug Bernice was one
of those throwing water through the for
ward part of the boat As one Of the tugs
that had towed the Elizabeth to mid
stream swung away, the hawser was
swung over the pilot house of the Bermce
and before the towing tug could be back
ed, the Bernice was almost capsized and
her pilot house and upper works torn
away. William Willard, the Bernices $
cook. was working in the galley at the
time, and as the tug lurched he was flung
overheard. He was drifting under the
bow of the ferryboat when a hawser was
thrown to him from the tug Delaware
He grasped it and was drawn aboard.
The Bernice was withdrawn at once and
sent to the Lehigh Valley docks for re-
pairs.
The work of the tugboats seemed to
have no effect on the fire, and despite
the water that was poured on the boat
from all sides the flames still gained
|headway and it was evident that the boat
would be a total loss. 1t was finally de-
cided to tow the burning boat to the Com
munipaw flats and beach her. Many tugs
followed, but by the time the Elizabeth
was beached there was not much left Of
her.
The Elizabeth is one of the oldest boats
ON the line. She was practically rebuilt
last year at a cost of $4,000. She has had
many accidents and many passengers be-
lieved the old boat to be hoodooed. Last
spring she ran down lighter near her
Slip at Liberty street, and few days
afterward collided with another boat in
midstrear,. The crew of the boat consists
Of u. B. Smith. captain: Elmer Van Wart,
wheelman: William Young, engineer
Jacob Olsen, fireman. and the deckhands