The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-03-30
FERRYBOAT ON FIRE IN RIVER.
BOUND BROOK DAMAGED-NO
PASSENGERS ABOARD.

Towed From Her Berth in jersey City
with Cabins and P1lothouses Albaze
Machinery and Hull Not Injured
Fire Attributed to Oiled Rags.
The Central Railroad Of New Jerseys
ferryboat Bound Brook. one of the newest
OF the company's feet. got afire yesterday
afternoon while laid up in q berth at the
station In Communipaw and was towed.
| blazing from bow to stern, into the middle
| Of the North River, where the hreboat New
Yorker and several tugs drowned out the
flames. The upper and lower cabins were
Quilted. but the machinery and hull were
not injured.
The Bound Brook was tied up in the
upper Of the four slips and had no steam
| up. Early In the afternoon a small boy
who happened to pass the slip saw smoke
coming from the women's cabin and yelled
to Policeman Downs, who WAS stationed at
the ferry, and he turned in an alarm. While
he was doing so four men In the hold, Bill
Young, the engineer; Arthur Truax, an
oiler; Oscar Jensen, a Waterman, and
Thomas Monahan. a fireman, heard the
yells OF Fire and got out in hurry
without trying to save anything.
When Downs returned to the ferry slip
the interior of the women's cabin was ablaze
and the fire was spreading rapidly. just
then the tug Red Ash, which belongs to the
company. passed the burning boat with a
tow. The captain dropped his tow in a
hurry. ran his tug In close and told the
policeman to run aboard and make fast
his line in order that he might pull the
burning boat into the stream.
Downs and Harry Place the boat starter
ran aboard, and while Downs was making
fast the Red Ash's line Place threw on the
cabin window and jumped to the side Of
the slip. Downs was unable to get back
that way and remained aboard as the Red
Ash pulled the burning boat into the river.
and finally. when things began to get warm,
he jumped over the rail to the deck Of the
The flames spread through the cabins
and when the Bound Brook was towed out
into the river she was blazing from end TO
end. Before the tug pulled her out the fire
had spread to the roof Of the ferryhouse
and for a few moments II looked as though |
the station might be In danger.
The Jersey City firemen, who hadn't |
been able to get a chance at the Bound |
the tug Bayonne aided with two streams. |
The fire had also spread to pile Of lumber |
on freight dock TO the north OF the slip |
and was scorching the ferryboat Fanwood. |
which was lying at the upper side OF the
freight dock, but the firemen made short
work OF putting out the blaze.
All the tugs in the neighborhood footed
their whistles and attracted the notice
OF the man on watch on the fireboat New
Yorker. across the river. The New Yorker
put out in a hurry and. with assistance
from the Lehigh Valley tugs Mercedes
and Mamie Lambert, drowned out the
Are In about half an hour.
The Bound Brook was then pushed back
10 q freight dock near her berth and tied
up. All the woodwork In the cabins was
Deaned out. both pilothouses we're gone
bent az though made OF tin An inspection
showed that the hull was not injured and
hat the fire had not reached the engine
room.
How the Are started could not he e1-
planned There was nobody on the main
deck when Il began and il had good head
way before II was discovered One theory
advanced was that a bundle 81 oil-sosked
rags had ignited spontaneously Ia a closet
where the fire was first seen.
The Red Ash WAS out In the river for
shout an hour and Downs was, Of oourse,
N post all that time. When he returned
q the First precinct poloe station lat
hight be- reported Ia Capt Cody that u.
,ad isen on post. but that he oouldn't |
lelp u, The captain assured him that
" ~ouidG't In brought up an charges for
SUPP 9 W Huntington said tina, ,b.
Bound brcok COS, sloul ssOSD hs
ave "a In Iebulli fran ~. line ~ the main
Isok NJ The boai sas Lull ~ Whining.
on, Di IN Isoi Ahs 10 adD fss, lons.
4 fs.sl LEAN aud AZ ftei q Inches ds..p