Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-03-21
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE
1t Rages Along the Water Front
at HObOken, N. j.
Ships In Flames--The Loss on PiersS
Ships and Freight VIII Aggregate
Nearly SSOO,OO0 - Crews of
Several Vessels Had Very
Narrow Escapes.

New York, March 1o.-The pier of
the Phoenix line in Hoboken was de-
stroyed by fire last night. The
steamship British Queen was de-
stroyed and several lighters were
burned. The fire threatened the
Campbell stores, and for time it
looked as if the flames would reach
the Holland-American line docks. The
Maasdam. of the latter line, was
towed safely into the stream.
The fire started at 1894 o'clock near
the end of the pier nearest the North
river, among the cotton bales. The
flames ran in all directions until the
whole structure, which was a wooden
one surmounted by frame shed,
was enveloped.
The steamer British Queen, owned
by the Phoenix people, was tied to
the south side of the pier and the
flames quickly leaped to her upper
decks. Those decks were covered
with cattle pens, which being built of
light timber, were the means of at
once spreading the fire over the
steamer. There was no chance to
cut her loose from her berth until
about IL o'clock, when tugs laid hold
of her and got her into mid-stream.
Her crew had n narrow escape. In
the same slip as the British Queen
were a dozen or more lighters, cot
ton laden. These caught fire and
only one or two were saved, partial
ly burned. The captain of the light
er Tonawanda saved himself, wife
and child by pushing cotton bale
into the water, placing his family
and himself on it and padding into
the river. The crew of the United
States training ship Portsmouth got
them ashore safely.
From the lighters the fire got into
the Barber line pier. The steamer
Heathburn, of this line, just in from
Hong Kong with tea. was hauled out
into the stream with fire spreading
over her. At IL o'clcck half a dozen
tugs were pouring water into her in
an effort to put out the blaze. The
captain, his family and the crew es-
capped.
South of the Barber line pier is
that of the Rotterdam line. 1t began
to blaze about 1O:3O o'clock. At it
was the big fire freighter Maasdam.
The captain had steam up and soon
had his vessel safely in mid-stream.
At 1880 p. IN. the fire on the piers
and on the lighters left in the slips
was under control. The Heathburn
and several lighters were floating
down stream all ablaZe.
The first estimates of the loss,
necessarily hurriedly made, follow:
Piers 100000, British Queen 100000,
cotton and lighters 100000.
Seven lighters are more or less
damaged.
About midnight Chief Croker, of
the fire department of New York
City, became alarmed for the safety
of the piers on this side of the river.
The burning barges from Hoboken
were floating to this side and the
chief thought it best to get large
force of engines lined up along the
river front.
Whether any lives were lost is diff
cult to learn. While the contiagra-
tion was at its height and after it
had been reduced by the firemen and
fire boats, rumors were rife that sew
eral men had perished. 1t was toll
erably certain at midnight that Chief
Engineer Scott, of the British Queen.
was burned to death on her and that
a sailor named Jansen met the same
fate. One of the men who escaped
says that he saw several men leap
into the water when the steamer be-
came enveloped in fire and he saw
few if any of these rescued.