New-York tribune., 1907-06-04
FIREBUG IDEA GROWS,
lWhite Star Officials Reticent on
Oceanic Fire.

The White Star Line officials for some rea-
son had little to say about TIE fire early yester-
day morning on the Oceanic. which knocked out
about twenty fremen and proved in some re
spects 10 be almost stubborn blaze as the
one a few weeks ago in the basement or the
Remington Building. They were loath to admit
that there had been a dre-at least, much of one
but ]. II. Thomas. Of the international Mer-
camille Marine. said finally that the damage to
cargo was nominal and the damage to the snip
nothing He said that the fire was confined
10 what is known as NO. tween decks" An
other official said that the fire in the after
part OF the steerage where there were about
one hundred and thirty berths, but that 1t had
not touched the cargo at all. They agreed how
ever that no strikebreakers had been quartered
aboard.
Acting Chief Binns was that the fire had
cleaned ont the woman's steerage quarters on
the third deck and that the damage, aided by the
water would amount TO about $1,000. The ship
will be able 10 sail tomorrow scheduled
without doubt
Despite earnest denals by the officials OF the
line, there is a strong suspicion that the fire
was the work OF an incendiary. To quote the
words of one marine expert, Fires on board
finer like the Oceanic are scarcer than eye teeth
lin hen" ard unless some one deliberately set
Fit its origin IS most mysterious. The warning
lreceived by the company. the doubling of the
guards on the pier, and rumors Of similar at
ttempts 81 the last few weeks, make outsiders
shoId firmly TO the theory Of incendiarism. No
body was allowed the pier yesterday, and the
company's official seal was on the lips Of all
lsubordinates.
| The Oceanic got in yesterday. and her crew
and some strike breakers have been stevedoring
her cargo. guarded by the police and the Pinker-
ttons. In hold No. T. right under the steerage,
$50 barrels of glucose we're stored. The strike
breakers at work on her ladng eat aboard the
fsteamer and many of them. in spite Of the de-
malls. 1t is said. slept on board.
! steward discovered the fire early in the
tmorning. and the crew was called TO stations.
The compartment closed and water and
then steam were poured on the fire. The flames
kept spreading. and Captain Haddock sent in a
Sf1re ALARM which brought the f1reboats Mcclellan
-end New Yorker and three steamers and two
trucks. They all hampered by the swarm
of lighters and scows about the steamer.
The fire was raging thirty feet below decks
THE fumes from the burning glucose punished
ithe men so hard that the seasoned smoke eat
sers" and TO work in short relays. One by one
they had TO be brought up TO the deck, until
kscore Of them, including Battalion Chief Norton
9hsd been knocked out. After being attended by
an ambulance surgeon they were ordered back
no quarters Finally Chief Binns had to send
for fresh men to take their places, and it was
mot until o'clock that the fire was really
ichecked.
When Acting Chief Binns left the Oceanic at
u O'Clock ne said that the fire was still shoulder
Ting TO some extent, but that there was abso-
f1utelY danger
In the first Of the fight 10 conquer the flames
the Pinkertons pounced four Italians sleep
ing near where the fire discovered. They
were detained until an investigation could be
made Stewards finally said that they had
aroused the four and they were released.
Detectives from the Charles street station,
with Deputy Fire Marshal De Malignon, investi-
gated the rurnor Of the incendiaTy origin Of the
fire. but they were unable TO substantiate IL.
Fifty strike breakers surrounded by police
marched down to Pier a. adjoining, at 6 O'clock
when ne excitement was still high. Some of the
striking lOngshoremen invited them not to go to
work, but the Italians pressed Then the
strikers hurled a few of the many loose paving
stones at them without doing any damage. The
policemen got their charges in on the pier and
then returned. There was more than one bruised
head, but arrest