The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1904-10-07
BRIDGE GATE TO STOP CROKER
CHIEF HELD UP IN ACTO on WAY
TO BROOKLYN FIRE.
Way Made Clear as soon ss the Cop RecOg.
nized lIim-Many Barses Destroyed
at Wizards Basin and Numberof Fine
Yachts NenacetI-Flre Boat Helped.

at Wizards Basin and Numberof Fine
Yachts MenaeetI-Flre Boat Helped.
Fire Chief Croker started for South
Brooklyn in hurry last night when he
heard that a fourth alarm had been rung
for a big blaze at the foot OF Twenty-hfth
street. When he reached the middle of
the bridge in his new high power auto
mobile he saw the flames lighting the bay
and told his driver to let out link.
The driver pulled her wide open and
the automobile increased it's speed until
it was going like cup racer. wideawake
policeman saw the machine whizz by. 1t
got out of range before he could yell and
order to have it slow up, so he ran to the
telephone at the Brooklyn tower and told
the patrolman at the Brooklyn end to stop
machine that was going about mile
minute. The cop at the Brooklyn end
determined to get the scorcher, shut the
big wooden gate that ia used to stop run
Always, just as the auto rounded the last
turn near the end of the bridge.
Stop he yelled to the occupants OF the
machine. As the auto neared him he saw
that it held Chief Croker. and the big gate
was swung back in a hurry. The auto
had to slow up. however, to avoid smash,
and the Chief said few things az the ma
Chine gathered Roadway again and passed
the disappointed cop.
The fire, which did considerable dam
age to W. B. Wardells coal yards at the
foot of Twenty fifth street, burned a 400
foot pier in Wizards basin to the waters
edge, destroyed several barges and lighters
and, for time, endangered several yachts
hal ,.,an xs.1t n1,
tied up for the winter in Tebo's yacht
basin, adjoining the burning property.
The fire started in the engine house OF
Wardell's yards, at the foot Of the street,
and, famed by a strong westerly wind.
soon enveloped the frame building and
jumped east across the street to Willard's
basin. where a number OF coal barges and
canalboats were tied up.
The first craft to catch fire was barge
which had been used for years a. a black
smiths shop. The fremen were there by
that time, but they could not check the
spread Of the flames and the barge sank,
while the flames communicated to the
pier and the empty hay barge, Hanna
Bhckman. From the Blackmsn the fire
spread to Capt Wilson's barge Magdaline.
and then to a New York Central barge
that was moored at the end OF the pier.
The stern OF the latter boat was blazing
merrily when the f1reboat David A. Body
steamed up and pulled the craft out into the
river, where the fire was put out after the
boat had been considerably damaged.
The barge Isabelle and craft commonly
known "a -Welsh's Derrick were the next
to 70. The derrick had been used in the
afternoon to take 800 tons Of coal from a
barge, and all that coal with $4,000 worth
more which was in Wardells yard, went up
in smoke, along with $40 900 worth OF build
ings owned by the Charles A. Willard es-
tate. None OF the burned property was
insured.
Besides the barges mentioned, six or
seven smaller craft were either destroyed
or badly damaged,
While the fremen were hard at work
pouring streams on the blazing pier and
barges, puff OF smoke and fame burst up
in weighing building half way out on the
pier, adjoining the one destroyed on the
south. The firefnen put it out in hurry
and found that sparks had set the cribwork
afire near the waters edge at the end Of
the pier and had eaten along far under the
flooring. Part of the pier had to be ripped
up before it was out OF danger.
A line OF freight cars, many OF them laden
with hay and produce from the West, also
caught fire and the flames were not stamped
out until they had gained considerable
Roadway.
On the westerly side of the burning pier
and barges is Tebo's yacht basin, where
many yachts are tied up for the winter.
Some of them are W. B. Leeds's Norma,
W. X. Vanderbilt, IFS, Tarantula, eS-
Senator Wolcott's Invfhcible, Austin Flint's
Arrow and Daniel B. Reade's Rheclair.
The shifting wind threw sparks into the
rigging of these steamers. causing consid-
cradle alarm to Mr.. Tebo. who was on
the spot looking after the property. The
firemen beat the flames back on the yacht
basin side and Tebo stationed an en-
poyee on every yacht to extinguish flying
firebrands. None OF the yachts was dam
aged.
Before the police arrived and formed
fire lines a considerable crowd gathered on
nearby piers. Ono of the spectators. Mrs.
Ella c. Barber Of 44A Fourth avenue. was
pushed into the water and her husband
Jumped in after her. Re got her out all
right, and she was able to go home after an
ambulance surgeon attended her.
Engine 1O4, which il housed at Degraw
street, near Court, gave the crowd a good
scare soon after it began pumping at
Twenty third street and Third avenue.
The coupling connected with the hydrant
gave way and the force Of the stream was
turned straight against the engine. The
Goals in the firebox were thrown into the
street with kissing noise, and at that
moment the safety valve blew of steam.
The crowd thought that something had
exploded and scattered in all directions.
while the horses. which had just been un-
hitcbed, ran away. Firemen caught them
within q block.