New-York tribune., 1908-03-31
BRIDGE FIRE STUBBORN
FUMES OVERCOME MANY.
joy Line Heavy Loser - RiUer
Pirates Blamed.

Besides causing big loss of property and threat
ening the Manhattan bridge tower. rapidly
nearing completion, at Pike street and the East
River the fire which. told in The Tribune yes
terday. broke out shortly after / a m. gave the
hremen stubborn contest and seventy-fve OF
them had to be treated by ambulance surgeons.
Seventeen fremen In st. Gregorys Hos
pital recovering from the effects of the fumes OF
the burning creosoted wood. At a late hour ias'
night the fire still burning.
The total loss is estimated at 100000 Oh TINS
amount the city will be out about 5000; Terry 3
Trench. the sub-contractors. whose plant was de-
stroyed. about $4,000. and the Joy Line and the
Maine Steamship Company the remainder
II IS believed by the police that the fire was in
cendiary Three days ago of the sneak craft
used by dock rats and river pirates was seen "
push under the Terry Tench pier Ihere was ah
openine at the end the bridge tower pa
troInoan saw the boat and it adrft. He did not
arrest the men. but warned them not TO approach
the pier again. The river pirates had harpor
under the pier 1t is believed that they returned
and fire to the place. .
The blaze was in full blast for hours before II
was discovered by John Werner, a night Waterman
employed bv Terry & Tench. Werner smelled smoke
soon after midnight yesterday He could not nhu
its source. An hour later he saw swift OF IL
come out of a vent in the pier. and then he sum-
,noned Patrolman OKeefe, who sent an alarm
Two more alarms quickly sounded "heh
Chief Croker came he sent in another, realizing
that owing the fact that the piles supporting the
piers were soaked with creosote and tar and ina.
the roadways were covered with asphalt 1t would
prove stubborn and dangerous blaze Anu sue"
it proved to be.
Seventeen engines and three nreboats went TO
the piers The flames seething under the as
phalt covering. curling up at the edges again ana
again. The boats pushed the nozzles OF their nose
through portfolios to get underneath. They only
partly succeeded in checking the fire. Rowboats
were used also get the hose near the seat OF
danger. But the fire swept under the Terry d
Tench pier swirled along the shore front TO the
Jov Line pier and enveloped Its big shed
stored with merchandise, in sheet of destroying
flames.
The steamboat Edgcmont at tire Joy Line pier.
with more than fifty board. was quickly
warped out. The launch Velox pushed barge lhto
safety but had it's painted sides scorched and
Scared In the operation.
Two firemen of Engine Company % were injured
early in the fight against the flames. They were
OTiara and Siebolt. who were hanging over the
Joy Line pier trying to get a stream under the
structure A higher pressure was put on the hne
and O'Hara thro violently to the pier road
way and his collarbone was broken. Siepolt trieo
TO clutch the nozzle and his hands were badly cut
About thirty other fremen were compelled to give
up work because the pungent odors and smoke IN
famed their eyes. Ten OF them were nearly sInoth-
cred by the smoke. 1t like working over
volcano.
A large section OF the Terry & Tench pier went
down soon after the blaze began, and twenty fire.
got away just in time Another ana a larger
section went down later. and again many fremen
eot awav lust in time to save their lives. A large
part of the Joy Line pier sagged as the hrenen
were working check the flames under the road
way They abandoned the hose and got to safety !
Much hose lost by the fremen in each escape
from danger. They did their work manfully
throughout.
The bridge tower escaped damage. The hremen |
early directed their energies toward saving 1t from
harm The granite foundation was SCARED. but
not inlDai aired
have to be made. None Of the steel work was
warped 1t said late last evening that the
JOY Line pier would be a total loss. and that |
Terry Tench would save little of the steel work
on their pier Their whole plant will, of course !
have be replaced.
The officials of the Bridge Department, from
Commissioner Stevenson down. We're out early in
anxious effort to the tower. Their relief was
great when they that the work was safe IL
was reported that the contractors would be de- |
laYed only week.