New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-12-21
GREENHOUSES BURNED.
FIRE ALARMS FAULTY.
D., L. and ". and c. r. r. Of N. J.
29d-st. Terminals Destroyed.

Because the city's faulty fire alarm service broke
down at critical point the two large ferryhouses
Of the Delaware Lackawanna and Western Rail
road and the Central Railroad OF NeW-Jersey' at
23d-st and the North River were destroyed ny
flames yesterday.
The ferryhouses were of modern steel and wood
construction not freproof. but intended to resist
rapid spread Of fire, and were completed only
few months ago. The loss oy tnelr oeS1f uo'ioli -
more than $4,000.
Eyrehoats aided by a favorable slant of the
wind. saved from destruction the Erie and Penn
syivania ferryhouses close by and also sa'eu 'no
clips OF the burned ferryhouses- The LackaWanna
Will have at least one of its slips at &dFst In
use to-day and will establish temporary services
until it's full facilities can be restored
Az soon as the Jersey Central officials saw that
their Penthouse was put out of commission, they
appealed to the Erie for aid and that road prompt
w offered its ferry slips and house at Zdst, which
the Jersey Central will use to-day maintaining
Its regular schedule.
While the fire was in progress yesterday there
were fears that several persons had lost their lives
In the burning buildings, but these fears proved to
ba unfounded. Several hundred trunks and many
express packages, mostly filed with CHRISTMAS
things could not be saved from the flames
A FIRE of MYSTERIOUS origin broke out in a store
room, of the Iackawanna ferryhouse in Hoboken at
o'clock last night creating scare. Policemen IN
the ferryhouse snelled smoke and oalleo the ire
men before it was known where the flames We're
.+oraroorn where paints and oils had been kept Inc
hrenen kept the flames out Of the ferryhouse and
sxtinguished them so quickly that the loss was
trifing.
The fire showed itself Just the ferryboat Mont
clair was entering slip, and the captain backed
out again and waited in the river until all danger
was over. The passengers on the boat ana persons
In the ferryhouse were much excited IN view OF
the destruction Of the lighthouses on the 1ork
side early in the day.
The Iackawanna was using the Pennsylvania
ferry slips at 24th-st- and the North River last
night while army IF workmen were getting the
I.ackawanna slips ready for use this morning. Mr.
Lee said late last night that the conpanys service
would be resumed usual at the 2Sd-st- slips this
morning.
THIRD FTRB IN A YEAR
This is the third big loss by fire the Lacka"ahna
has suffered in about year. Its ferry Terminal III
Hoboken was destroyed. with loss or about S9OO'
COO on August Z. and some months previous to that
its freight yards in Hoboken were burned Ot1cials
Of the road said last night that they had no sus-
picion that incendiarism was responsible Tor the
fires all of which were believed to have been accl-
dental
The fire yesterday started at 10:So g. m IN the
basement of the Lackawanna ferryhouse' "heIe
uorLmen were putting finishing touches to costly
heating and lighting plant. 1t was DeleVeo 10
have been caused by the ignition of oakum USED III
the packing around the pipes. The plant was IN
tended to supply light and heat for new Terry
L.ackawanna ferryhouse-
AS soon as the flames were discovered the WORK
men in the building aided by LackaWanna en-
Moves there manned the fire hose and tried 10
keen the fire in check until the fremen could De
called but they were obliged to drop the hose
and run for their lives so rapidly did the flames
spread.
1t was in this emergency that FIRE alarm oox
directly In front the PENTHOUSE failed to work
| A policeman pulled the lever OF the box and
| waited G. minute No fire engines appeared. and ne
| pulled the lever again. Another minute went BY
| and still no sign Of the engines. The policeman
! then called to a mounted patroman, who rode TO
the box at 26th-st and sent from 1t an alarm W'ch
| reached the hremen.
There a delay of fully three minutes before
the first engine reached the scene OF the fire. and
| all that time the flames had been spreading with
| great rapidity. Three alarms were sent by the
/ hremen first arriving. but the LackaWanna s Terry
house ablaze to the top of Its imposing tower
! by that time. and. before the extra engines and
| the freboats could arrive, the flames had spread
TO the Jersey CentraPs ferryhouse and that build
| ing doomed
Fire Chisf Croker. who directed ths work OF tia