The Jersey City news., 1902-03-19
TEN men LOST
Supposed to Have Been
Burned in Hold Of S. S.
British Queen.
BIG WATERFRONT FIRE
Hoboken's Second Visitation
by Flames Destroys Phoe-
nix Line Pier.

It is believed that at least ten men lost
their lives in the hold of the steamer
British Queen burned in the second pig
waterfront fire which visited HopoKeh
last night. 1t is known that the men were
on the ship shortly before the fire started
on the pier Of the Phoenix line, and 1t IS
almost certain that they perished. There
was no possible way for them to escape
except by jumping overheard Tnose
members of the crew who escaped in this
manner are positive that there were a
dozen men in the hold when they lett
the slip. Chief Engineer William scott
was at first believed to be the only VIC
tim of the fire. Engineer Scott was Ill
and it is thought that he was burned
alive in his stateroom. Efforts to ascef-
tain the names or total number OF those
missing this morning were in vain. The
excitement was so intense while the nre
was in progress that sailors, firemen and
longshoremen fed in every direction, and
IT win probably be several days before
ANYTHING like list of the missing can be
prepared.
The total loss to wharves, property ana
shipping by the fire is estimated at nearly
two ni.qion dollars. Secretary Mason, OF
tie Hoboken Land and improvement Com
pany, owners of the pier property, said
: This morning that the loss sustained by
the company on the pier alone was $l50-
enc all of which was covered by insur-
auce. The pier was piled with valuable
freight which was entirely destroyed.
The loss to the shipping, including the
steamer British Queen and the numerous
smaller craft. was immense. Pier Watch
man Patrick Hussey Of the Phoenix Line.
who was burned severely about the body
while making his escape last night, died
In st. Mary's Hospital at seven o'clock
this morning. His death is the only one
reported so far. Others in the hospital
are
Peter Carroll, laborer, Phoenix Line
burned about head and arms.
John Jensen, sailor British Queen,
rescued from water.
Herman Anderson, Swede, of barge
Tonawanda, rescued from water.
Captain Borge wife and daughter, of
barge Tonawanda, rescued from water.
Harry Benson, captain of lighter.
rescued from water
Captain Borje, whose boat was hemmed
In by the fire, threw his wife and daugh-
ter overheard and then jumped after
them. They were rescued by a small
boat Captain Borje's daughter is one
year old 1t was said at the hospital this
morning that the child could not recover.
Mayor Adolph Lankering, Of Hoboken,
who attracted attention last night by taxi
ing hold of hose and assisting the fire.
men. said this morning that the catas-
trophe ought to be a lesson for steamship
companies to procure better protection
against fire The Mayor believes that all
steamship piers should be made of iron.
The origin of the fire is still mystery.
It was learned this morning that the ru-
NOR that it was started by some incen-
diary was without foundation. Some say
that the blaze was first noticed among
some bales of cotton that were to have
been loaded on the British Queen.
At o'clock last night, while the pier
was full of activity, United States Gus
toms inspector B. s. Kasmire saw a
tongue of fame leap across pile of cot
ton bales directly in front of his booth
There was fierce draught through the
pier. and before Kasmire realized his dan
ger the flames had swept up to the sides
of the shed.
His first thought was for the men aboard
the British Queen. and rushing to the
gang plank he shouted an alarm. The
word was communicated to the men in the
hold, and officers and crew poured out pei
nell.
Some escaped by the gangway and
across the blazing pier. Others slid down
ropes to the lighter Acme, moored to the
Ioa ND Iox
the stream.
The longshoremen had great difficulty
IN escaping Only half of those at work
could get by the column of fire that SWEEP
across the shed. Others dived like frogs
into the icy river and swan to the Barber
line pier adjoining.
In five minutes the pier and the British
Queen were erveloped in flame. Explod
ing barrels of oil and wood alcohol scat
tered the fire among the craft mooret
about Most Of the captains on the lish
ters had their families with them, ans
they had great difficulty in getting then
to safety.
The Hoboken Fire Department, aug
Tnented by almost a thousand volunteer
went to work to save the Barber line pie
and the merchandise contiguous 10 tn
fire. They f0ugnt SueeeSSIul ngnt IN tn'
face Of a fierce gale. The Heathburn. th'
..orth ard the Maasdam and smalie
craft for a mile to the windward of th'
blazing pier got up stream and made 10
the Manhattan shore to be out of danger
An hour after the fire started th
British Queen, with flotilla of fiv
blazing lighters. broke away from thei
moorings and fioated down the river wit
the tide. A more picturesque sight wa
never seen along the river front, but tn
danger to shipping on this side was recog
nized and an alarm for engines wa
sounded The fire boats Van Wyek AM
the zophar Mills had been patrolling tn
river front in anticipation of such con
tingency.
The British Queen was taken in han
by a feet of tugs and kept away fron
the Manhattan shore, but the lighter
gave mere trouble. Despite the effort
Of the fire boats one of the lighters butte
against the Providence Line pier at tn
foot Of Park place and ignited lot Q
cotton.
Chief Croker fought the fire from tn
An Old and Well Tried Remdsy.
Mrs. Winsiowss Soothing Syrup for Chi