Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-08-08
FIRE IN HOBOKEN.

The Terry mousse OF the DeIdWdIe,
Lackawanna and Western Railway, in
Hoboken, was burned about IL o'clock
last night. 1t was an old-fashioned
wooden structure, and in few minutes
it was wrapped in flames.
All the fire engines in Ho5oken were
on the scene in couple of minutes, but
were unable to make any impression
whatever on the fire. The ferryboat
Bergen, which was in her slip, caught
fire in an instant, and was tOwed up the
river a mass of flames.
The adjoining station and train shed
of the Lackawanna Railroad were build
iDgs of light structure. The flames
spread to them in few minutes and
they were entirely destroyed.
Fire engines we're dispatched from
New York and all the adjoining sections
of Jersey City, and all efforts were de-
voted to saving adjoining buildings and
piers, while the yard force Of the Lacka-
wanna Railroad tried to get the cars out
of the burning train shed. Many Of
these caught fire, but so far as is known
none was totally destroyed.
1t is supposed that the crew of the
Bergen were on board her, and it is
feared that some passengers. may have
remained on her decks when she was cut
loose from the landing bridge and drift
ed out into the river. One OF the fire
boats went in pursuit of her and directed
its powerful streams upon her blazing
upper works.
Next t. the burning structure are the
! ers of the Hamburg-American Line.
Next came the North German Lloyd
slips, the HOllandAmerican Line pier,
and the Thingvalla pier.
Tugs we're assembled about the steam
ships moored to these, and the hawsers
by which they were moored were cast of,
so that they might be towed into the
river if the fire showed any symp-
toms of spreading northward in the
southerly breeze.
Fortunately the wind was from the
west, blowing the flames and superheat-
ed air from the fire out over the river
instead of in toward Hoboken and the
railroad yards.
Right by the train sheds are the yards
of the Lackawanna and the Erie rail-
roads, and many hundred cars with
frei ght of all sorts arriving and ready to
be shipped west stand along the tracksin
these at all times. The locomotives were
kept busy pulling them as fast as they
could, out beyond toe danger lines.
There were several hundred people
around the Lackawanna station when
the fire broke out, and there was a wild
rush for safety among them. Hand bags,
wraps, and other light impediments were
abandoned in the rush of men and wom-
en- through the narrow doors, which were
the only available road to safety. Pas
seugers in sieepers waiting for the mid
night trains bound west were hastily
awakened, and they also rushed for the
streets of Hoboken, few of them in
scanty attire.
In addition, the new immigrant sta
ton south of The depot, which had been
built ct the cost of $75, 900, and which
was opened only last week, is absolutely
destroyed. The old Duke House, anear-
by hotel, is ruined.
Three ferryboats caught fire, but the
flames were subdued by the fireboats.
The loss is estimated at 81, 600, 600.
At one o'clock this morning the fire
was under control and the big steamship
piers had been saved.
There was no loss of life. The fire
started through an explosion on board
the ferryboat Hoptatong.