Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-10-28
POLICEMAN LOST HIS
 LIFE FIGHTING FIRE
Piers and Warehouses Burned and Vessels Badly In- jured-Fire Said to be of Incendiary Origin-The Loss Will he One Million Dollars-A Fireman Had His Skull Fractured.

New York, Oct 2S Fire, believed to have been of incendiary origin, swept over the piers, warehouses and ship ping at the Bush Terminal Co.'S stores, South Brooklyn, early to-day. The loss is estimated at more than S1,OOO,- 900. One life, that of policeman, is known to have been lost and other dead may be found later. A fireman was badly injured.
 Four line ocean going steamships were badly damaged, having been ablaze from bow to stern, and hun dreds of thousand dollars worth of cotton, hemp, and the general cargo that the China ships bring in were par tially destroyed. After a battle of more than three hours by the entire Brooklyn department, the flames were pronounced under control. At first the firemen could make no headway. Tanned by strong breeze, the smoke from the burning hemp prevented the men from approaching one section of the fire, while the blaze in the burning cotton, and in the holds of the steam ships could not be affected by the wa ter.
 Known dead:
 Policeman Patrick Cushing of Brooklyn, caught at the end of Pier 5.
 Injured:
 Benjamin Walsh, fireman; skull fractured in fall down 8 hatchway. Walsh lay in the hold of the Cftta al Palermo for two hours while the fire on the vessel was all around him.
 AS to the fate of the crews of the ships nothing definite Is known. The vessels were the American and Arizonan of the American & Hawaii Steamship Go, and the Citta di Palermo, of the Italian line. They were warped tightly to the pier and tugs could not get alongside owing to the intense heat.
 That the fire Is of incendiary nature is the belief of two private detectives and two watchmen. Last Tuesday morning fire in one of the many piers of the company also started mysteri- ously,. destroying $50,OOO to $75,00O worth of cotton.
 Much i'll feeling is said to exist be- tween the terminal company and some of the residents of the neighborhood because the company desires to close certain South Brooklyn streets. After Tuesdays fire the company employed private detectives.
 A few minutes before midnight the detectives and watchmen were half way out on Pier No z, I $40 feet long and 40 feet wide. Alongside this pier lay the American Hawaiian ships. Be- tween them were lighters laden with ton upon ton of general merchandise from Chfno ornH fho Do pff0
 From the lighter Victor, according to the men, almost on the stroke of mid night came a shaft of fire which shot between them and the end of the pier, and almost simultaneously between them and the shore came another bolt. Tn an instant, the men declare, the flames had spread apparently in every direction. Escape was cut off and within five minutes after giving alarm to the watchmen and crews aboard the different vessels, the watchmen jump ed into the water, from which they were pulled soon afterward by the firemen. Tn ten minutes the long pier was blazing from end to end.
 The calls of the men aboard were heard, but they could not be reached from land. Steps were at once taken to save the rest of the piers with the millions of dollars of shipping and cargoes. The Citta di Palermo dis- charging at Pier No 6, was the best for the great iron sides of the ship acted as a guardian wall to the flames.
 Gushing lost his life, it is believed, when he made q dash out on the pier to give alarm to persons aboard the ships. The fire cut off his return and n moment later square of roofing fell over the spot, A fireman, caught in the same manner, jumped into the water. His fate is unknown.
 The vessels were all new, except the Citta di Palermo, of the Italian line.
 Belonging to the American-Ha- waiian Steamship Go were the Ameri- can and the Arizonan-amon the best in the Atlantic and Pacific trade. The Arizonan was launched only last year, having been built in the Union Iron Works yards, In San Francisco. Her gross tonnage was S,762.
 The Nebraslxan, built in Camden, N. J., was launched in 1902. Her gross tonnage was 4, ,4O9
 The American, built in 1900, came from the yards of the Delaware River Go, Chester Pa. Her gross tonnage was 5,591.
 Each of these ships was of steel con- struction and equipped with twin screws They were taking cargo when the fire broke out. The burned piers were the largest in New York harbor.