The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-09-14
AUTO BOAT ABLAZE IN RIVER.
OWNER AND TWO OTHERS FORCED
TO JUMP OUERBO ARD.


Ill. g.. BOwdcn's Mercedes q. -. A..
Takes Fire Near tine stake BOaI ~. n.
IIOadIey's den u. ResCOes the Men.
II. l.. Bowden's auto boat Mercedes
U. \. A., which came from Boston 20 take
part in the races Of the Motor Boat Club
Of America on the Hudson River, caught
fire yesterday Afternoons on 10th street
when nearing the finish OF the race.
Mr.. Bowden, Capt. James Barr, who
steered her, and Charles Basic, the mechani-
clan, gathered at the stern waiting FOR help.
Several boats put cut to their rescue, but
before they could reach the burning vessel
the heat had become so intense that the men
had to jump into the river and take their
chances Of being picked up. They were In
the water some minutes, swimming away
from the burning boat. The heat was 81
great that the vescuers could not get near
the men.
The Mercedes had started In the race for
high speed boats 30 feet long and under.
She had to 90 three times around a triangu-
lar course, making In all sO% nautical miles.
She was just nearing the finishing mark
when she suddenly stopped and it was seen
by those on the houseboat on the club
that the men on the boat were working at
the motor. These craft have a habit Of
breaking down and not much notice was
taken Of the mishap.
Suddenly the men lifted the oover on
the motors and famed them down quickly.
Then flames shot up In the air. The Mer-
edes was about O quar- ter OF q mile Oh
shore and was drifting with the tide up
stream toward the boat that marked the
finishing lins:
A soon "a the flames shot up the three
men went as far aft as possible and stood
on the stern OF the boat waiting for assist
anoe. The revenue cutter Manhattan
started for the burning boat, and at the
same moment a boat was lowered from ex-
Commodore Frederick g.. Bourne's steamer
Colonia. Three boats also put on from
the shore. j. II. Hoadley's Den ii. was
near the houseboat, and those Watching
the races shouted 10 him to 20 out, and in
a moment the Den was tearing through
the water.
The three men on the burning vessel
stood the heat as long as they could and
then all three jumped into the water and
were later picked up by the Don. Barr,
Mr.. Hoadley said, was almost gone when
rescued, but the others were not much
the worse for their ducking.
For a time..it looked as though the -Mer-
cedes would be totally destroyed. The
cutter Manhattan got to windward Of the
burning boat and turned a stream Of water
on her. Then the crew OF the cutter got
to work with a chemical fire extinguisheT
and soon put the fire out. The Merosdes
was towed to the float.
Mr.. Bowden said that they had 10 much
gasoIene pumping into the cylinders hat
instead Of exploding it burned and some
OF the burning fluid was forced out through
the exhaust. This set fire to the g~asolene
that had gathered in the bottom OF the
boat and In a minute after this had caught
the boat was in flames. He did not think
the Mercedes was very badly damaged.
Mr.. Bowden il q Boston merchant. He
own a house on MarbIehead Neck and in
addition 20 the Mercedes owns the Flying
Dutchman, another auto boat; the steam
yacht Sally and the sender boat Hayseed
ILL.,, that took part in the trials held to se-
lect defenders for the Roosevelt cup. james
Barr Is the son Of Capt. JOhn Barr, who
sailed the Thistle in the Cup races in 1881
lie Ia a nephew Of Capt. Charles Barr.