The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1902-03-27
LIVES LOST IN FIRE
Burning Of Heboken Pier Causes
Problsmaticll Fatalities.
BOER AMMUNITION DESTROYED
Many Boxes Of Cartridges intended
for Struggling Hurehers Ex-
p!oded While Angry Flames
Roared.

There was rumor current in New
York Wednesday that a number of
cartridges were CT the pier at the
time OF the fire CT Hoboken docks
Tuesday night, and that they were de-
stined for the use CT the Beers in
South Africa. According to the report,
the cartridges were to have been ship
ped to Antwerp and from there 70
their destination. A member OF the
Hoboken fire department stated
that he saw the boxes Of cartridges on
: the pier and that he heard a number
OF explosions. These are. said to
have occurred after the fire was under
control about midnight.
Sanderscn & Son, the New York
agents of the Phoenix line steamer,
: British Queen. reported that they
had no knowledge that there were any
cartridges on the dock, and that they
did not believe there were any there.
They further said that they never
carry explosives as freight.
The British consul agent said tnat
he had 10 information that any suca
munitions for Beers were on the ship.
He regarded the report as improbable
because tho British Queen was to sail
for Antwerp, not South Africa.
Supposed Victim Alive.
Chief Engineer Scott, who it was
supposed perished in the fire. walked
into a Hoboken hotel Wednesday
morning. He was badly burned ABOUT
the face and said he had dreadful
experience.
Engineer Scott said that a hort
while after going to his room Tues-
day night he smelled smoke, ana on
investigation saw the ship was on hre.
Scott, who is a sufferer from rheuma-
tism, groped his way along the deck
and took refuge in a large cattle pen
on the ship deck. Here he was joined
by one of the fremen Of the ship. Ihe
smoke and flames soon drove them
from the pen. Scott then fastened
wire rope to a stanchion and threw
one overheard. He then slid down the
rope to a lighter lying alongside the
big steamer, where he remained until
rescued. Scott said he did not see
the fireman after he, Scott, made his
escape and does not know what be-
came of him.
No estimate can yet be made OF tie
loss of life in the fire; the number
Of dead may never be known. Pat
rick Hussey, longshcreman, who was
burned while trying to escape from
the Phenix pier, died soon from the
effects of mis- injuries.
Besides Hussey four longshorenen
were taken to st. Mary's hospital and
are now under treatment there. All
were more or less burned. Some OF
the longshoremen who saved them
selves by swimming ashore say they
saw twenty or thirty men leap into the
river.
Many Were Drowned.
Although some Of those who jumped
into the water were picked up by
tugs. it is feared that a number sank
before they could be reached by the
rescuers. Many of the longshoremen
are single men and have no relatives
who could report them in the event o.
their being missing or having perished
in the fire. The British Queen has
been beached of Communipaw in the
upper bay.
Superintendent Mason, Of the Phe-
nix line, said that it would be impos-
sible to definitely state the loss by
the fire in less than two weeks. He
was asked if he thought $1,250,00O
would cover it, and he replied that he
did not think it would. The British
Queen was worth 100000 and there
was a great quantity of valuable mer-
chandise on that vessel, On the pier
and on lighters that were destroyed.
This included cotton, hides, oils,
grains and a quantity of harvest ma
chinery.