The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-03-19
Phoenix line PIER
DESTROYED BY FIRE
Steamer British Queen is q
Total Loss.
FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY
Adjoining Piers Caught Fire an
Loss is Heavy.
MAY HAVE BEEN LOSS OF LIFE
Several OF the Lighters We're Bnrned. AIS,
Swelling Loss-.aptain ei loAavanda
Saved Himself. Wife and Chi.d, by
Jumping on lotion bale
ano Padding into
Adjoining Piers Caught Fire an
Loss is Heavy.
MAY HAVE BEEN LOSS OF LIFE
a.. Assnciated Press. !


NEW YORK, March IA swift ana,
in many Of its details. picturesque hr.
tonight destroyed the pier Of the Phoe'
AK Steamship Line. on the Hoboken, n
j., river front, with many baies OF cot
ION and hay; burned that company YES
Ecl, the British Queen, to a hulk; con-
sllmed several lighters and their car
goes; damaged a dock be. ongins to the
Inc Barber Steamship Line, and Tor
lime threatened the property OF the Hoi-
Iand-American Line and the huge Camp
bell stores The loss, according to esu-
mates tonight, Will approximate a,09o000.
Whether any lives were lost is mos:
difficult to learn. While the conflaSra-
1ion was at its height. and after it had
been reduced by the fremen and ire
boats rumors were rife that several men
;,erished. IT was tolerably certain al
midnight that Chief Engineer Scott, OF
the British Queen was burned to death
on her. and that a sailro named Jansen
met the same fate. One of the men Whc
escaped says that he saw several men
leap into the water when the steamer be
came enveloped in fire. and he saw few
SC any, OF these rescued. The quarter
master of the ruined shin said that the
crew were in her forecastle. and he sur
Inised that If all escaped they did SO
with difficulty. Nevertheless, some OF
The British Queens officers say tonight
they were quite assured that all We're
safe save Engineer Scott, who they sim
ply said was missing.
II is not unlikely that some cf the long
shoremen and stcvedores who swarmeu
rbout the vessel, may still have to be ac-
counted for.
THE LOSSES.
The estimated losses in detail are:
Piers $500 600: British Queen $500 600
<.houeht 20 be too hisll): Cotton and
lighters 500 nan. Seven lighters are more
or less damaged
Tho scene Of the fire was Seventh ana
River. Streets. Hoboken. To.ether there
nra docks and basins of the Phoenix Line
.ha Holland American Line. and the Bar
l,cr Line. The Phoenix Line pier was
"A wooden structure 300 fet long covered
with a frame shed. On this were many
bales of hay and cotton. which burned
with the utmost ranidity- How the nre
started is not known. Some statements
NV. that II started in the British Qneen.
which Law in the basin between the Phoe-
-, ! tns. dock and the Holland-American
,lcc,-. ott,ers that it had its origin at the
rnd Of the pier.
SPREA DRAPTD.
At all events with but the barest warn
Ing, the flames burst out quickly nckine
nm the pier and the cotton upon 1t. and
,;treet for the vessel was being Grloaded
having arrived hcre F'r'dav from Antwerp
tctton-laden The fire flared up from
the steamer with as great suddeness as
upon the pier. s,,d since the vessel was
made fast to the pier a"d could rot be
ba ked cut, lighters and other water ra1t
which Law alongside her some of them
holding such irflamab Bile stun as Oil CAKE
quickly caught fire. too.
The captain of the lighter Tonawanda
s:., ed himself, his wife and his child by
pushing a cotton bale into the water,
ysacing his family and himself upon II
Bn6 padding his strange life raft into
the river. The stiff wind which had
. blown all day gave impetus to the 'rt.
Swhose glare Redeemed the North River
ftr long distance. Cattle pens upon INC
,fSper decks of the British Queen wele
the first part of her consumed, but pres
emily her hull was aflame.
ANOTHER PIER CAUGHT.
Trcm the Phoenix Line pier the flames
erread to the pier of the Barber Line. aud
ehen to the steamer Heathburn, OF the
eampany, newly arrived from Hons
I>ong, China. with a cargo OF tea Among
the crew of the steamer Heathburn were
th:rty-two Cinnamon. When the flames
began to run over the vessel they ali
Eeampered to the pier for safety and be-
gan to make their way to the streets oil
l-obcken There was large force OF
customs officials on hand guarding prop
CITY AS soon as these officials saw the
frightened Chinamcn they became alarmed
that the aliens would make an illegal
eltry into the country, so with drawn
1,:stcls they ordered the Chinese to halt.
The command was needed, and then,
surrounded by guards. the foreigners
were marched to pier some distal'ce
away and there locked up under sur
yeillanee fo- the night
TOWED OUT OF DANGER.
The captain OF the Heathburn was not
aboard. His wife and children were.
but were rescued by the mate. The Hol-
land d-American Line docks are below those
of the Barber Line. They caught fire,
Tut were only slightly damaged. The
conpauy's big steamer. the Maasdam.
was towed out into the river as soon
as the danger became apparent.
The fire was fought by Hoboken and
Jersey City fire engines and from the
srater side by tugs and New York fire
department boats.
Employees OF the Holland-Amcrican AND
Bremen Steamship Lines assisted these
forces, as did the crew of the tnttee
States ship Portsmouth. lying at the piel
next above the Phoenix Line. This yes
Eel is in Use by the New Jersey Nava
Reserve as training ship, and is com
,nanded by Lieutenant Davenport
was through their efforts that the hghte'
Tonawanda's captain and family Wer'
saved.
.rhe fire started at S:s5 and by l1:5
, o'clock It was well under control. TIL
british Queen. still ablnze. was towed ou
.0 -, BLAZING LIGHTERS.
Three lighters. all afire. were directe'
Aown tho river by tugs. but OWN gto tn
wind. and current they once or 1Ndc