Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-04-11
Hudson River Boat Burned to the
Waters Edge at Dobb's
Ferry.
PASSENGERS WERE SAVED
One Woman Asleep in Her Berth Hal
Narrow Escnpc-Thirteen Horses
Perished-Dock to witch the
Burning Steamer Tied Up
Was Also Burned,

Dobbs Ferry. April 5.-The steamer City
of Troy of the Citizens Inc was burned
TO the waters edge here tonight. All
the passengers. some sixty-five In num-
Der were landed safely The steamer
was destroyed with It's cargo OF freight
and thirteen horses. Edwin Gould's dock
to which the city Of Troy tied when +,
was found impossible to contro the hams
was also destroyed.
The City of Troy left New York at six
o'clock tonight bound up the river for
Albany and Troy The fire was discovered
at about nine o'clock when she was
about eight miles below Dobbs Ferry. 1t
broke out in the hold amidships and
rapidly gained Roadway. The crew fought
the flames for some time before the boat
was turned shoreward, but when it was
seen they could not control them, the
captain turned his boat for Dobbs ferry.
When she tied up at the Could dock,
the fire had gained such Roadway tina,
little attempt was made to extingiish it
and every effort was bent toward landing
thought that every one had been landed
safely it was discovered that a woman
passenger was asleep in her BERTH and
two Dobbs ferry firemen. Alfred Smith
and Robert Wilson. rushed into the burn
ing boat and carried the woman safely
ashore.
An effort was made TO rescue a number
Of horses on board but the flames had
iroa1 hot I, 4
impossible to reach them and they per-
shed.
The dock to which the city of Troy
tied up took fire and was destroyed It
was with some difficulty that the flames
We're prevented from taking hold Of the
Manila Anchor brewery, which is very
near the dock.
Mate W. S. Eager was the only one
overcome by smoke on the boat. He was
taken ashore and soon recovered. The
fire is believed to have started IN the pam
try of the vessel at about $50 O'Clock
when the boat was off the Highlands.
A few of the passengers returned to
New York but the majority Of them con-
tinued on to Troy. leaving on a train
shortly after midnight.
Captain Charles Fl. Bruder and Purser
Charles Adler remained here to watch
what remains of the boat.
STEAMER WAS A GOOD ONE.
Troy. n. Y, April 1.-The steamboat
City of Troy was built for navigation
on the Citizens line in 1876 at cost Of
500, 900 At that time II was under the
management of the Cornell company
Some 10 years ago when the present man
-.
troll the boat was remodelled a a cost of
$4,000. The boat on each deck was pro-
vided with fire cocks and hose. The officers
and crew have always been considered
most efficient and We're well versed in
the fire drill At midnight no news of
the burning had been received at the
company's local office here.
The fire started either in the kitchen or
in the hold. reports differ. All of the crew
and attendants who We're not actually
needed In the engine room and in the pilo.
house were sent about rousing the pas
sengers and helping them to prepare to
go ashore quickly. There was no sign of
fire abroad the steamboat except a cloud
of smoke trailing off to the stern as she
ran shoreward, and her calls for help
did not seem justified to those who saw
her approaching.
There was no panic abroad. All hands
were ready to leave as soon and az clamly
as might be.
The steamboat was laid alongside the
dock and the crew already had the
fore rail out and gang plank ready
to run out. II took but couple Of
minutes to get the passengers ashore
and to the tracks OF the Central rail-
road. The fire broke out just as the
last of the passengers were ashore.
There did not seem to be much draft
when the steamboat was running to-
ward the dock, but once she stopped
and the wind began to whistle through
her. flames seemed to leap out in a dog
en- places.
Fire alarms had been sounded and
the fremen were soon on the shore but
the fire swept through the boat within
a very few minutes. All effort had to
be turned toward saving the brewery
and the dock as well as the cottage
on the dock. The latter was saved as
was the brewery but a portion of the
dock will have to be rebuilt
Tho crew left the boat soon after it was
certain she would be destroyed. The mate
was carried OF unconscious after trying TO
rescue some of his belongings. He is in
bad way. AS soon as he saw his boat was
a loss the captain sent one OF the officers
with the passengers TO the Dobbs Ferry
depot where train north was stopped
and boarded. Tho captain with the rest
Of the officers and the crew boarded n
train which was Tagged for them Mt th-
station. and they went south
ward.
The passengers saved their hand bag
gage but the freight and all the heavy
baggage was lost.
Five women jumped overheard as the
steamer approached the dock but were
by Dobbs Ferry firemen who
picked them up with a boat. The wo-
men were all Italians.