Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-07-17
Million Dollars Damage and
Two Lives Lost,
SIX BARGES BURN UP
Blazing Steamer Drifts Out Into
the River.
WATER FRONT WAS MENACED
Greatest Spectacle Of Kind New
York Has Seen Since Hoboken
Disaster Ten Years Aro.

NEW YORK, July 16-Four hundred
thousand spectators witnessed this aft
ernoon the most spectacular pier fire
since the Hoboken disaster, ten years
ago. in which $50 lives were lost.
AS far as can be ascertained. two men
persisted during todays confederation.
The monetary loss will run between
$4,000 and $1,OOO,OOO.
Pier II of the Metropolitan Steamship
Line, on the Hudson river at the foot of
uitoh street, was practically destroyed.
The structure cost 100000.
The freight steamer H. r D;nocL ~
the same line, which was lying along
side the pier, caught fire and drtfted.
blazing, out into the river, where nre-
boats and tugs extinguished the flames.
Two OF her crew. all twenty-eieht of
Whom jumped overheard, are missing. II
is believed that they were drowned.
The vessels upper works were de-
stroyed. Ter cargo was soaked and
aged. ''oiS o"in-
Six Barges Destroyed.
Six barges, lying between nier. "A
ana To- were destroyed, and the mas.
senger steamer Harvard Of the Met
ropolltan line was badly scorched. She
was lowed to point Of safety, how
ever and departed for Boston on
schedule time this evening
For a time it was feared that tho on
tire water front north of Fulton street
was IN danger. The blaze was one of
the most stubborn that firemen have
contended with in years. twenty-five
iana engines, six fireboats and one water
tower were pressed into service.
AS the flames swept through the nier
TO the close-lying barges the crews
were FORCED to jump into the water.
Ropes and boathooks pulled them back
to safety.
Two men remained aboard a barge too
long and were badly burned. Aside
IRON the missing members of the
DlmockS crew. however, no fatalities
have been recorded tonight.
Fire Terribly Hot.
Chief Croker said that the fire was one
of the hottest he had ever handled For
time he was doubtful if his men would
be able to face the heat
When the wind shifted to the north
the firemen on land got chance to ap-
proach close and play their streams eff
fectively. The police arrangements were
good an0. notwithstanding the great
crowd. there were no street accidents of
consequence.
During the blaze the adjoining piers to
the north were several times threatened.
Pier Is. occupied by the Brunswick
steamship Company, caught fire more
than once. Sparks flew to the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western ferry house
beyond, igniting the cribs several times
and suspending ferry service.
A host of fire craft on the river and
the masSed land forces kept the hla 70
from sweeping these structures.
Start Of Fire.
Accounts OF how the fire caught vary.
falling case of matches on the pier
caused the blaze, was one report. Ac-
cording to another witness the fire first
started on the steamer Dimock and COM
mun1cated to the pier.
The Dimock was hauled out into the
river by tugs, her upper works blazing
forward and amidsrips. A fleet of fire.
boats and other craft gathered around
her and deluged decks and forehold as
the steamer gradually drifted down the
river.
At 2:3O o'clock this afternoon, with
the pier fire thoroughly controlled, the
Dimock, with a decided list to port, had
drffted to point north of Ellis Island,
where streams of water were still being
pumped into her. No estimate Of the
damage to her could be had.