New-York tribune., 1910-07-17
BIC PIER BURNS;
DAMAGE, S5OO.OOQ.
Freighter Damaged, Eight Barges
Destroyed and the Harvard
Has Marrow Escape.
QUICK WORK OF FLAMES
In Spectacular Blaze of One
Hour Superstructure of Pier
and Tons of Freight
Are Destroyed.

In the most spectacular blaze wit
messed in this port since the Hoboken
fire on June 30. 1900. the superstructure
OF Pier II North River, was destroyed;
the freighter H F Dimock was crippled,
her deck works were burned away and
her sides cleared Of paint; the passenger
steamer Harvard vas scoTched, and
eight lighters or coal barges were de-
strcyed. with their freight. early yester-
day afternoon.
One short hour was sufficient TO cause
this damage. which Chief Croker esti-
mated to be 100000. The rapid spread
OF the fire was overwhelming, and
only the most determined work on the
part Of thu firemen prevented the spread
Of the flames. which were famed by a
strong southwest wind.
So far a. known no human lives we're
lost but there were many narrow es-
capes among the crews Of the barges
which were tied Up III the basin between
piers II and l.. Two horses were
burned TO death on Pie II, and a New
York company taxicab, bearing license
tag No. 67.0S4. was destroyed when the
chauffeur fed for his life.
Ten thousand persons congregs ted
along West street and in Fulton. Dey
and Nesey streets while thousands Of
others saw the blaze from the windows
and roofs Of sl5yscrapers all through the
downtown SEE ton.
Four Alarms SEM Out.
II was just 13:40 p. M, when the
crowds were thickost on the rush home
ward at the close Of the business day
that the first alarm was sounded for the
blaze Two more alarms were sent out
in quick succession. and then fourth
These brought out sl the fire apparatus
below l4th street. including twenty-five
engines five fireboats and little army
of firemea. Deputy Chief Binns tool
charge. but Chief Croker was soon or
the scene. and assumed command
Meantime thousands kept pouring
toward the scene. attracted by the thick
smoke which rolled up from the flames
The rapidity with which the flames
licked I'D everything in their way rem
dered the work of saving anything from
destruction extremely difficult
blaze was first discovered in a crate OF
rattan furniture unloaded from the Har-
--ardsin the forenoon the streaks Of fire
were blazing high above the two stories
or the front Of the pier shed in West
street. six hundred feet from where the
fire started
Captain Gallagher, OF the Fulton street
precinct. was out early with his men and
the reserves from that station, but ht
had TO call for help, and soon the re-
serves from precincts /. s. 6. Ia l.. l.
and 16. numbering 1o5 men. had
stretched the FIRE lines and were keep
ing back the crowds trying to get a:
near as the intense heat would allow
Inspector Daily ana Charles ". Kirby
Second Deputy Commissioner OF Police
a vel as Fire Commissioner Waldo
were also early or the spot watching the
work Of the men under their direction.
Despite the Efforts of the fire fighter:
the blaze was eating up everything ir
its railway Starting six hundred feet
out on tho pier it went rushing along as
If in fue. and it was fed by bales Of
cotton and excelsior. furniture and
mixed freights
Escape OF the Harvard.
CHIEF Engineer Moseley and the mate
Of the Harvard were at lunch, when they
heard the rush Of the men going up the
Dock. Thinking that a row had started
they ran outside and heard the cry ot
fire - Moseley to his engine, and
as he reached there got the signal from
the wheelhouse TO stand by" He gave
The answering signal and got the order
Go ahead and the steamer moved out
getting clear of the pier less than five
minutes from the time the first cry wa:
raised. Two minutes more would have
been sufficient 10 have given the blaze
headway on the vessel bat within thre,
minutes eight streams on the EarNar,
were rdTenchiRs every IniCg around. an,
she escaped with some blisiering of ia,
paint on her starboard side. which va
nearest the pier.
In the once Orlando II Taylor. Jh'
general manager Of the MeJropo,iJaI
steamship Line. which runs the Har
ward and the Dimock. as well as othe
freight and passenger boats te Boston
Vas leaving tne once - - 20 fHtth "
the Harvard He had just set his vatci
r. tko marine clock in his office. :
that hr Lno7s IL VAS l1.2a p. m. u-her
he heard tbe fire bells
Re called 10 those in tho ofT7ce tha
there vas src ncsr hy. He then rsl
10 1he beck of the Office. where he Ia,
clear sight Of the pier, and saw tn
flames flying upward. famed by IN
wind. which whistled through IN
structure. He Immediately grabbed tn
papers on his desk, gave the alarm an
ran
Cue Work of Flames.
Ia the Office downstairs William Hunt
iEgton. The cashier. had $500 cut 10 pa
Of the men al work. He barely had tim
10 throw The money intosIhe safe an
elcse n Up before The flames were upo
h.n, John Cssey- clerk la the offio'
ran 10 Mss Margaret Fitzgerald n
telopnore operator, and then grabbed Ii
some Of the Papers n hich ne consi5ere
,he most iui o~taut. and set out Just a
the fi,v came up 10 the Office portion q
The structure.
When the fi~cmeE reached thc seen
1hes. turned on the hose. bat there l. n
high pressure st that point which
between Nrsey and Fulton streets. an
ths strean,s esre not ~ strong - ne