The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-29
FIRE ON TEUT0NIC At PIER.
STOREKEEPER TRAPPED IN HIS
CABIN ny THE BLAZE.

SHIPS Crow Couldn't Handle It--City
Firsmen Drenched and Rescued Pris-
oncd Msn-ship WIN Not Lose Trip.
Fire, presumably due to defective insula-
ton, started at O'Clock last evening In
the electricians room Of the big White
Star liner Teutonic, in on Thursday from
Liverpool and locked at the foot Of West
Eleventh street. The crew got to work
rapidly, and, according to the officers, be-
effective way the fire apparatus OF the.ship,
but were not able TO cope with the flames.
Ten minutes later the fireboat Mcclellan
and battalion Of the Fire Department, In
charge Of Chief Guerin, had streams on
the flames. By this time the fire had
spread forward and aft Of the electricians
room, forward to the engine room and aft
to cabin occupied by the chief electrician
and the storekeeper.
Tho engine room OF the ship is divided
into four compartments, separated by iron
bulkheads II was the aft compartment
on the port side that the flames invaded.
So rapid was the spread Of the fire that
John Burns, the Scotch storekeeper, was
cut OF from escape from the storeroom.
the fire feeding on the woodwork about the
door and on the interior furnishings. His
plight was the first indication the fire.
men from the land had OF the location Of
the fire. for when they arrived he had his
head out Of the portfolio and was calling
loudly for help.
His situation was like that OF many
Of those burned In the big steamship FIRE at
Hoboken. He could secure fresh air by
putting his head out Of the portfolio, but
could 60 no further to escape from the
flames.
To reach and save Burns was the first
endeavor Of the fremen. Going down one
OF the aft oompanionways they CROPPED
their way through the smoke and soon sup
plemented the six puny streams of the
ships fire hose with two streams power
fully driven, though the engine was 200
yards away.
Burns's cries aided them in finding the
place, and it was not long before their hose
WIS playing in the storeroom. The flames
we're not far from Burns. and the first stream
gave him thorough drenching. They
played upon the fire in his part Of the room
first, quickly extinguished 1t and then had
little trouble In quenching the remainder.
The engine room gave them much trouble.
The flames had enoircled the cylinders,
eaten away most Of the outer coating Of
woodw ork and were we'll within the three
inch covering of felt between the wood
and the steel. There was little else to catch
fire, but the flremen found that the fire In
the felt resisted water stuhbornly.
For two hours streams were kept at work
in this room. There was no necessity OF
working for go long q time, the fremen
explained afterward, but the officers Of
the ship wanted to be certain that no smol-
'dering fire was left in the felt.
Capt. Ransom and Chief Engineer Flem-
ing. who had charge OF fighting the flames
no one to 60 amidships to the scene Of the
fire. They said that the damage was not
at all serious. Firemen. however, declared
that the engine room was a sorry looking
sight and that the damage to tho electn-
clans room was considerable. Officers Of
the company would not appraise the dam
age. A survey will be made to-day.
John Lee, general manager Of the Inter-
national Mercantile Marine Company. which
owns the White Star Line, was notified Of
the fire at it's inception and hurried to the
pier. After a long conference with Capt.
Ransom, Chief Engineer Fleming and other
officers, it was announced by ono Of the
officers that the fire would not interfere In
the least with the departure Of the liner
at it's next sailing time, Wednesday.
None of the cargo was damaged. the
water from the hose going into the bilge.
Capt. Ransom was in command Of the
Celtic up to a short time ago. when Capt.
McKinstry, tbs Teutonic's former skipper.
was appointed superintendent of The Irish
mail service. The voyage ended Thurs
day was Capt. Ransom's first on the Teu-
tonic. About six weeks ago the Majestic.
sister ship Of the Teutonic, was sAre at
Liverpool. The fire was in the saloon and
tho ship missed trip on account Of it.
On7cers Of the Teutonic said last night that
yesterdays fire was not nearly 90 serious