New-York tribune., 1903-07-31
TOW BLAZING OIL SHIP.
MAN GREENFIELD IN HOLD.
Tugs AUert Threatened Danger to
Standard Works at Bayonne.

Naphtha in cases in the hold of the italian
barkentine Angeline Maria. OF Genoa, exploded
at the Columbia Pier Of the Standard Oil Com
pany at Bayonne yesterday, and few minutes
later the barkentine, with flames pouring from
every opening. was towed down the Kill
Kull and beached on the mud flats back Of the
Robbins Reef Lighthouse. The cargo Is still
burning and will burn for at least twenty-fOur
hours unless an explosion blows hole in the
vessel and she sinks deeper in the mud than she
now lies.
When the first explosion occurred on the
barkentine she was lying at the pier. She ar
rived in port week ago last Monday, and was
almost ready TO sail. She was ready to be towed
into the stream yesterday morning, and would
have shipped her crew during the day. For
several days there had been scores of men en-
ployed about her. but yesterday there were only
about a dozen. The cargo was all aboard, ex-
cept perhaps fifty cases of naphtha which
were being put into the amidship hatch. The
space had become so narrow that only one man
was below. He a longshdreman. About a
dozen others were on deck
A sling load of cases had Just been sent down
below, when there was an explosion Those who
were on deck assert that the body of the man
who had been below was hurled out of the hatch
by the force of the explosion. What became OF
him is not known, but it is believed that the
body dropped into the hold again and was Gre
mated.
The men rushed to the pier. and instantly the
alarm was given big steel ship was loading
with bulk oil on the opposite side OF the pier.
and close by was the plant Of the company. AT
the end of the pier lay one of the big tugs OF
the oil company which had tied up there with a
spring line waiting for tow. Within a few
hundred yards two other big tugs were handling
floats The captain of the tug at the pierhead
blew his whistle and the other tugs went to his
aid.
Men on the pier seized and cut the
Angeline Maria free. and before the first flame
was seen she moving out of the dock
Smoke had begun to spout out of the matches,
but the three tugs had her clear before the fire
broke out
All three tugs provided with fire pumps
and they began to throw streams into the vessel
as thew swung her around and headed out
toward the bay.
A favr moments later the flame began to ap-
rao, ond IN a couple of minutes was shooting
from, tho hatches almost as high as the mast
heads The sails had been bent on, and they
caught fire. and the ship presented beaut1ul
sight from the Staten Island shore as she slowly
moved down the Kill. The tide was with her'
other tugs reached her. and she was rCsneo ou'
into open water as rapidly as possible. All the
RaItiYoore and Ohio tugs lying at ST. George
droDned everything, and so did all Standard OIL
tugs which caught the alarm. 1t was imperative
that the blazing craft be got clear of the mar
row Kill with its docks. before there was any
chance of her rending herself and scattering the
blazing naphtha over the waters. 1t was dan
gerous work for the tugs, and the towing was
done at the risk OF the life Of every man on the
towing feet.
Once by ST. George the burning boat was
headed in for the fats, where she could do the
least damage in case she blew up. The tugs
were soon Joined by the 1. J. Merritt ana the -
J. Chapman of the Merritt-Chapman WrecKlhs
Company, and the freboat New-Yorker. FlnalIy
a dozen were throwing streams into her' Inc
water seemed TO have no effect on the names.
A covering of naphtha was spread on the sur
face of the water The vessel is entirely OF
steel and had steel masts. and these stood Tor
over three hours after the first burst OF name.
| They fell between and I o'clock, showing that
the deck and their steps had been ruined.
The fire attracted a big crowd along the staten
Island shores and from New Brighton to IoInp-
! kinsville thousands viewed the fire as 1t burned
an the flats. Thousands crossed the Staten
Island ferries from Whitehall-st. 10 get d vie"
| as the boats passed the blazing hull
The loss will be heavy. The parkehuhe u
said to have been worth about SoO'OVo- ABOVE
the ,yaterline she will be worthless when the hre
is finally put out The cargo is said TO nave
been worth about $4,000,
At thA oil wards last night it was SAID the
| name of the missing man was not known