The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-19
Flames Again Devastate the Hobo
ken River Front. H
UNKNOWN NUMBER OF DEAD MEN
Large Steamer and Other Vessels
and Pier burned With Over
SI,25O,OOO Loss.

New York, March 19.-No estimate could
be made to-day Of the loss OF life in last
nights fire on the Phoenix line pier in
Hoboken and it was thought the number
Of dead would never be known. Patrick
Mussey, a longshoreman who was burned
while trying to escape from the Phoenix
pier, died to-day. Chief Engineer Scott,
of the steamer British Queen;was believed
to have lost his life on that vessel. The
third engineer, Yereck, says; that Scott,
who was suffering from rheumatism, went
to his cabin to lie down before the fire
started. Ve1 eek was in the engine-room
when the alarm of fire was given. He
tried to reach~the engineers quarters to
awaken Scott, but was headed off by the
flames. Scott however,, walked into
Hoboken hotel to-day He was badly
burned about the face and said he had had
a dreadful experience.
All the men Of the British Queen have
now been accounted for.
Besides Hussey, four longshoremen were
taken to St. Mary's hospital and are now
under treatment there. All were burned.
Some Of the longshoremen who saved
themselves by swimming ashore say they
saw twenty or thirty men leap into the
river.
Many Probably Sank.
Although some of those who jumped
into the water were rescued by tugs 1t is
ledFeu tndl several Sauh DtlolS IueS SoolO
be reached by the rescuers.
Superintendent Mason of the Phoenix
line said that he did not think $1,250,0O0
would cover the loss. The British Queen
was worth $800,000, and great quantity
of valuable merchandise was destroyed.
There was a ruinor today that the fire
was of incendiary origin, but Mr.. Mason
said he was positive there was no truth
in it.. He said he thought the blaze
yfa in 4 fnr .yryjd koo lots ho
Phoenix pier; and this was confirmed.
The linesEby..W which the British Queen
was mooredSto the pier. were burned
away and twas then feared she might
float against some Of the docks lower
down the river and set them afire. In
spite OF the Int ense heat given out by the
burning steamer a tug ran in under her
stern and made q line fast to her rudder.
Lines were passed from several other
tugs to the first one and in that way the
big steamship was hauled out into the
stream. - >#S'-'
Those seriously hurt are John Jensen,
who jumped from the burning pier and
struck his head against a beam, and Peter
Carroll, who was badly burned.
Thirty-two Cinnamon fled from the
steamship heartburn when that vessel
was endangered by flames and were cap
tured- by United States customs officers.
They we're returned to their ship to-day
the Cinnamon were arrested in order to
prevent an evasion Of the Chinese exclu-
sion act. .''@' -. rs -.S q" 7. 49,
What the Fire Did. ....-.~.
The fire destroyed the pier of
the Phoenix Steamship line on the Ho-
boken, n. j., river front, with many bales
OF cotton and hay; burned the company's
vessel, the British Queen, to a hulk, CON
sumed several lighters and their cargoes.
damaged a dock belonging to the Barber
Steamship line, and for time threat
ened the property of the Holland Ameri-
can company's docks.
The fire was fought by Hoboken and
Jersey City fire engines, and from the
Waterslde by tugs and New York fire de-
partment boats. Employees of the Hol-
land America and Bremen Steamship
lines assisted these forces, as did the
crew of the United States ship Ports
mouth, lying at the pier next above the
Phoenix line. This vessel is in use by
the Jersey naval reserve as a training
ship, and is IN command of Lieutenant
Davenport. 1t was through their efforts
that the Tonawanda's captain and his
family were saved. 49,, = -. p p.
The fire started about S:35 o'clock, and
by 1880 1t was we'll under control. The
British Queen, still ablaze, was towed
out Into the river. Three lighters, all
afre, were directed down the river by
tugs, but owing to the wind and current
they once or twice came near setting fire
to property on the New York side Two
Of them finally drifted to the east shore
Of Governors island, setting fire to the
new landing pier there.
( The army officers quarters were great
ly endangered, and the soldiers stationed
on the island were employed in fighting
the flames. -,..
Fireman Thomas Cooney of the fire
boat David A. Body fell off his boat last
night and was drowned.
Engineer Scott escaped by fastening a
wire rope to the stanchion and throwing
one end over the rail. He Slid down the
rope to lighter lying alongside the
burning steamer, where he remained until
rescued. Scott said he did not see the
fireman after he (Scott) escaped and does
not know what became of him -