New-York tribune., 1902-03-19
BIG PIER FIRE IN HOBOKEN.
PHENIX LINE STEAMER BRITISH QUEEN BURNS AND
SEVERAL LIVES MAY LOST
SHIPS AND PIERS ABLAZE.
TWO MEN MISSING-FIvE IN HOSPITAL
SUFFERING FROM BURNS OR SHOCK.

SUFFERING FROM BURNS OR SHOCK.
Hoboken was visited again last night by
pier fire that in some respects resembled the
horror of two years ago when the North Ger
man Lloyd piers and the steamers Saale.
Bremen and Main were burned, with great loss
of life. Fortunately. the loss Of life. so far as
could be determined last night, was likely TO be
small Only two men were reported missing.
They were the chief engineer of the steamship
British Queen of the Phoenix Line. which lay
alongside the pier at Seventh-st. where the fire
started. and Constant Diesta, fireman on the
same vessel When last seen. about five min
utes before The fire broke out, he had declared 1t
his intention to turn in"
Patrick Hussey. watchman of No. All or
419 Jefferson-st.. with wife and family of sew
eraI children was so badly burned that it was
thought at St Mary's Hospital, where he
taken, that he would die. Four others-a man
named Carroll. unknown man. and the wife
and child of the captain of the barge Tona-
wanda-were pulled from the water and taken
to the hospital. Although suffering from the
chill OF the ley water and the shock it was
thought that they would recover within a short
time
ESTIMATE OF THE LOSS.
The loss was estimated by two fire insurance
experts who visited the scene at something
less than $1OOOO0o They divided it follows:
Phoenix Line pier. at seventh-st-, wooden
structure, on piles, S3OD,OpO.
The steamship British Queen, which was
fastened at the pier and which was burned out
he bp rel Ca6
Seven lighters laden with cottonseed oil and
general merchandise. destroyed, and damage TO
Barber Line pier, at SiXth-st., under S5Oo.Uo
In order that the Hohoken disaster Of two
years ago might not be repeated. the adjoining
piers and steamships were carefully protected.
The employees of the North German Lloyd Line
on the new piers being constructed just below
got out the fire hose. and prepared to fight any
flames that might start. The two North Ger
man Lloyd passenger steamers. Karlsruhe and
Rhein made ready TO put out at mo-
ments notice. Steam was got up and every
hawser but one taken aboard. The passengers
on the karlsruhe. which will sail this morning
remembering the former disaster. would not
stay on the steamer. They went ashore with
their personal baggage.
/ The steamer Heathburn. of the Barber Line
which arrived here from China on Monday
morning, was fastened TO the Barber Line pier
when the fire broke out. Her crew Of thirty
two Cinnamon was sent ashore under guard OF
armed United States customs officials and taken
to the Steerage passenger room on the Hamburg
American pier. The steamer was then taken
/ into the stream
THE MAASDAM HAULED OUT
The passenger steamship Maasdam. of the
HolIand-America Line. which lay at the pier
I Il
The pier had previously been soaked with water
/ to prevent its iEniting
The fire broke out. far as could be de-
termIned at about 40 p. m. in the centre of
the Phoenix Line pier among some bales of cot
/ ton. At the time there were about one hundred
men at work on the pier and hundred and
nifty men ON the steamship British Queen. at the
six matches, slowing cargo Almost instantly
( the fire seemed 10 catch In many places. Many
( of the men jumped into the water both from
the pier and the steamship saving their lives in
/ this manner. The quartermaster of the British
/ Queen. \. W. Peters. who was asleep in the
forecastIe. was awakened in the nick of time
/ He ran forward and tried to rouse a number Of
men who were also asleep in the forecastIe He
was unsuccessful hut afterward saw the men
safe
Captain Anderson of the barge Tonawanda of
/ the New-York Central Railroad which lay
] alongside the steamship British Queen ran
down into the cabin, snatched his wife Ma
/ tilda, and Mary. their daughter. twenty months
/ old. and brought them To deck. He tumbled a
/ bale of cotton into the stream and then they
/ jumped into the river and swan toward the
/ bale.
The crew of the cruiser Portsmouth. in com
! mand of Lieutenant Davenport, which is used
| by the New-Jersey Naval Reserves which was
| lying at Seventh-st, pulled them out of the
/ water. The woman and child were in half
! drowned condition. They were taken 10 St
! Mary's Hospital chilled and suffering from the
! shock.
PICTURESQUE SPECTACLE
/ The fire was picturesque spectacle from the
| river The stiff wind which blew SOm the
northwest carried the flames and clouds Of
| smoke out over the river The flaming barges
| they foated about, presented an unusual
! sight The framework of the pier and the mer-
/ Chandise thereon burned rapidly, despite the
! fact that the wind against the blaze work
| ing toward the land. Before IL p m. the pier