Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1902-03-25
GREAT VESSELS BURN
MiLElON DOLLARS LOSS BY FIRE
AT HoBoKEN, N. j.
Phoenix Company's Great Dock Swept
Away Steamer British Queen De-
stroyed, with u Vast Quantity of
csreight-Lighters and Piers Damaged

Away Steamer British Queen De-
stroyed, with Vast Quantity of
cSreiEht-Li Lighters and PiersDamaged
Roaring flames licked ap S1.000.000
worth OF steamship properly in Hoboken,
y. T.. Tuesday night within three hours
They destroyed the 300-f,;)t pier OF the
rhcepix Steamship Company, parts OF
tive other piers. the Steamer British
QEcep Of the Phoenix Company, seven
lighters and vast am0nnt OF freight.
Half a dozen men lumpeA INFO the sea
from the deck of the British Qrs-I. They
are believed To be safe. hbwever. Chief
Engineer Scott of the Steamer ana a
sailor Of the name of Jausan are believed
to have been burned 10 DEATH Eight or
more persons We're badly lurned and are
in hospitals
While the flames swept! through great
piles of cotton and hay in! bales the red
glare lighting up vast rfgion upon and
about the Hudson river. a band of twen-
ty-fve Cinnamon fled from the peril Of
fire only to encounter the niuzzles of 4
score of revolvers Othcers of the fed
eral government, fearing fhat the China
men, who composed part hi the crew OF
one Of the menaced vessels, might take
advantage of the opportunity to enter
the United States in violation of the Elk
clusion act, headed of the fleeing men
and. after soaring them nearly to death.
dragged them to jail until they can be re-
turned to their ship.
The estimated losses in detail are:
Piers S300,0o0 British Queen, 100000;
cotton and lighters. S2300D0: seven light
ers. damaged to extent of.S5000o
Fire Sweeps Severs.1 Docks.
The scene Of the FIRE w&s Seventh and
River streets. Together there are the
docks and basins OF the Phoenix line, the
Holland-America line aud the Barber
line. The Phoenix line pier was
wooden structure, covered with frame
shed. On this were MANI bales Of hay
and cotton. How che fire started is not
known. Some declare that il started in
the British Queen. which lay III the basin
between the Phoenix line dock and the
lIolland-America dock; Others that ii Aad
its origin at the end of the pier.
The flames burst out quickly driving
the steyedores and sailors from the Brit
ish Queen to the street fo1' the vessel
was being unloaded The vessel had been
made fast to the pier ana could not be
backed out and soon lighters and other
water craft which lay alongside OF her,
some of them holding sneh .mtlamma5le
stuff as oil cake, aHickly caught fire.
The captain Of the lighter Tonawanda
saved himself his wife and his child 10y
pushing a cotton bale into the water,
placing his family and himself upon il
and padding his strange lite taft into
the river.
Steamer from China ou Fire.
From the Phoenix line pier the flames
spread to the pier of the Barber line ana
then to the steamer HEARTBURN of this
company. newly arrived mon HongkQng,
with a cargo of tea. Among the crew OF
the steamer Heathburn wer, the thirty
two Cinnamon, who scanpered TO the
pier for safety and were later locked up.
The captain of the Heartburn was not
aboard His wife and children were but
were rescued by the mate
The Holland America line docks are
below those of the Barber line. They
caught fire. bur were only Slightly dam
aged. The company's biz steamer Mas
dam was towed out into tile river as soon
as the danger became apparent
Fought by Many Fureboats.
The fire was fought by HoboSen and
Jersey City fire engines and from the
water side by tugs and New York fire
department boats. Emplo. es Of the Hol-
land-Ameriea and Bremen steamship
lines assisted these fore. as did The
crew of the United Statxs ship Ports
mouth. lying at the pier 'Xt above the
Phoenix line This ycssV is in use by
the Jersey naval reserveyas training
ship and is in command of, Lieut. Daven-
port. 1t was through their efforts that
the Tonawanda's captain and his family
We're saved.
The fire started about $3.50 o'clock and
by 11:30 it was wen under control
Set Fire to Army Quarters.
The British Queen stiff ablaze, was
towed out into the river. Three lighters,
all afire. were directed down the river by
tugs. but owing to the Wild and current
they once or twice came near setting fire
to property on the New York side. Two
of them finally dcifted 10 ithr east shore
Of Governors Island settling fire 90 the
new landing pier there The army ofii-
GERS quarters were greatly endangered
and the soldiers statonrd5 on the island
were employed in iightinglthe flames.