The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1902-03-19
MILLION D0LLARFIRE
Hoboken Pier, With Steam
ship and Lighters. Burned.
1 HEAVY Loss OF LIFE IS FEARED.
Later Reports say Sailors Of the
harmed Vessel EScnped-Ihief En-
Einecr CnRceounteL FOr-New
York Docks In Danger.

Later Reports say Sailors Of the
harmed Vessel Escnped-Chief En-
Einecr Innceounfed FOr-New
York Docks Ia Danger.
NEW YORK, March la.-The pier of
the Phnnix line in Hobokcn was de-
stroyed by fire last night. The steam
! ship British Queen was totally destroy
ed, several lighters were burned, the
! fire threatened the Campbell stores.
ami for Il time it looked as II the
| flames would reach the Holland Ameri-
can line docks. The Maaslam of the
latter line w;-s lowed safely into the
| stream.
Men who were on the decks and on
the British Queen when the fire started
assert there were many lives lost. They
said that longsl,oremem were impris-
oned about the ship and that some
sailors sleeping in the forecastle Of the
British Queen did not get out.
The latest information. however. is
that no lives were lost. though it is as
serted that The chief engineer OH board
the British Queen is still uuaccounted
for.
The fire started at 3:34 o'clock near
the end Of the Phunix pier nearest the
North river. among cotton bales, with
which the pier was covered. The
flames ran in all directions until the
whole structure. which was a wooden
one, s,lrmMnted by II frame shed, was
envelopcd.
IN" steamer British Queen, owned by
the Phoenix people. was tied to the
south side of the pier, and the flames
quickly lraped TO her upper decks.
These decks We're covered with cattle
pens. which, being built of light tim
Der. were the means of at once spread
ing the fire over the steamer. There
was no chance to cut her loose from,
her berth until about II o'clock. when
tugs laid hold of her and got her badly
burned hulk into midstream.
Her crew had II narrow escape. Cap
tain PattinSon was not aboard. he hay
ing become i'll yesterday and gone to
hospital.
In the same slip as the British Queen
were Il dozen or more lighters cotton
laden. These caught fire, and only one
or two were saved. partially burned.
The captain of the lighter TonaWalltla
saved himself, wife and child by push
ing a cotton bale into the water, plac-
ing his family and himself OH it and
padding into the river. The crew of
the United States training ship Ports
mouth got them ashore safely.
From the Lighters the fire got into
the Barber line pier. The steamer
heartburn of this line. Just in from
liolgkong with tea, was hauled out
into the stream with fire spreading
over her. At II o'clock half dozen
tugs were pouring water into her in an
effort to put ont the blaze. The cap
tain, his family and the crew escaped.
South of the Barber line pier is that
of the Rotterdam line 1t began to
blaze about 1890 o'clock. At it was
the big freighter Maasdam. The cap
tain had steam up and soon had his
vessel safely in miisireanl.
At 1l:% the fire on the piers and on
the lighters left in the slips was under
The Heartburn and several
lighters were hoatng down stream all
ahlaze. The first estimates of the loss
hurried, follow: Piers, $780,.
BOO; British Queen, 100000; cotton
and lighters, S2O0,00O.
About midnight Chief Croker of the
fire department Of New York city be-
came alarmed ever the safety of the
piers on this side of the river. The
burning barges from lloboken were
hoating to this side. and the chief
thought it best to get large force of
Engines and other fire apparatus lined
ID along the river front near the Amer
can line and other piers. which are on
be water front between Cortandt and
Murray streets.