New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-05-21
BARREN ISLAND BURNS.
BIO FLANI WIPED OUT.
FrenSied LGbOrers Jump Into Bay
Loss, SIyOOO,OOO.

The big garbage plant on Barren Island. where
the refuse OF the city is reduced TO fertilizing
material. was swept by fire yesterday after
noon and in less than an hour totally DESTROYED
Tie plant was owned by the New York sani-
saFy Utilization Company The loss will be
fully S1.OO0.O0O
Barren Island is in Jamaica Bay. between
Rockaway Beach and Canarsie, and in such a
position that fire such as yesterdays could be
seen for miles in all directions.
When the fire was at its height several Polish
laborers. maddened by the thought that they
could not escape from the island. threw them
selves into the bay. Several bOatmen put out
after them and with difficulty hauled three into
their boats It is thought two may have been
drowned The Poles fought furiously. They
appeared "a be demented. They were taken
ashore and in hour were themselves again.
There are four hundred Polish laborers en-
ployed on the island, and they could not be kept
rogether when IL was seen the whole plant would
be destroyed. Some of them mad with
fear while others lamented that the destruc-
fion Of the plant meant the loss of their jobs
From the moment the fire started it was plain
that the volunteer fire department on the island
could not handle it. and the nearest fire station
was fully five miles away. The f1reboat Seth
Low got on the scene when the last structure
was ablaze The fire started in what is known
IS q ~digesting tank" on the eastern end of the
island and the next moment swept to the three
story frame structure, a half block square.
which was the main building. It burned like
pitch,
The flames licked up one building after an
other until the whole area Of the island was one
immense fame rising UP into the sky. Thou
sands Of persons stood knee deep on the op-
poste shores and watched the spectacle until
70 he he
dro spared nothing but few old sheds. When
there was nothing left but the garbage the
flames swept gradually TO the docks. and in half
an hour they were reduced to cinder.
Several Of the big garbage boats tied TO the
docks We're saved. The volunteer fire depart
Y1ent gathered few moments after the fire
was discovered. but was too small to fight
fire with such material for fuel. Their hose.
GOO was not made for such an area. The water
supply seemed 10 he sufficient. but there was
want OF pressure.
Everything worked against the volunteer fire.
fighters A sharp wind arose and famed the
first sparks into one huge flame, which licked
building after building. Twelve hundred bar
Tels OF oil stored in of the buildings went up
with a roar that shook the whole island and
was heard miles away. Up TO this time the for
eiEners employed the island were kept to-
gether. hut the terrific noise Of the explosion of
lNelke nulQleQ DafTelS OF OIL IoltNeu Bg tIA-
big. lurid flames which into the sky,
nerved them. They wanted to get off the island
at once. It about this time that several Of
GheTn threw themselves into the bay.
Superintendent Bloundt sent in alarm after
alarm the moment the fire was discovered but.
with fve-mile row against them. the firemen
were handicapped. Deputy Fire Commissioner
Lally reached the scene when it was too late.
The only brick building the island was
boiler house 1t proved almost as good fuel as
the frame structures.
The plant covered two acres Of ground. At
dusk the whole island looked like a great coal
fire in the bay. burning brightly. but never get
ting to the height of a big flame The fuel was
thousands Of tons of garbage. which viii proba-
bly, burn for several days.
The cOmpany's loss was chiefly in machinery
and $4,000 tons of fertilizing material
Deputy Street Cleaning Commissioner Gibson
said last night that other arrangements for the
disposal Of the city's garbage would be made
For few days the garbage will be towed to sea
in scows and dumped 1t is feared that the dis
posal Of refuse, necessary for the protection OF
public health. viii be impeded. The city VIII
lose revenue derived from the garbage.