New-York tribune., 1910-05-26
FIRE IN COTTON CARGO
THREATENS BIC LINER
North German Lloyd Steamship
Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm in
Grave Danger from Blaze.
AMMONIA CARBOYS EXPLODE
Many Hoboken Firemen Over
come During Hard Fight-Sail-
ing Delayed, but Ship Will
Get Away To- day.

ing Delayed, but Ship Will
Get Away To-day.
While the North German Lloyd steam
ship Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm lay at the
same pier in Hoboken on which the dis
astrous fire of 1900 occurred, fire was
discovered in the hold shortly before 8
o'clock last night Spontaneous COM
| bustion among many thousand cotton
bales in the hold of the giant vessel is
said to have been the cause of the fire.
The main efforts of the Hoboken Fire
Department were directed toward pre-
venting the spread of the fire to other
portions of the ships cargo. More than
a score of firemen were overcome by the
dense smoke that rolled from the hatch
ways and, to add to their hardships and
danger. hundreds of carboys containing
ammonia in another part Of the hold ex
ploded and the powerful fumes stupefied
the men. After a severe struggle OF
more than two hours the fire was finally
got under control. but not before the
sailing Of the ship was delayed.
The Prinz Friedrich Wilhelm, one of
the newest of the great steamships of
the North German Lloyd Line, was due
to sail for Bremen from Pier l to-day
at 10 o'clock, and the last bale of cotton,
said to be part of the consignment which
James A. Patten is sending to Europe on
a rush order, had just been lowered into
the holu when the presence of the fire
was discovered. Some of the crew work
ing in the hold noticed the smoke, but
they thought it was steam, owing to the
artificial light by which they were work
ing.
Crew Quick to Answer Call
AS soon as the men discovered the real
source of the smoke, they raised the cry
of alarm and fought to gain the ladder
leading out of the hold. While they
rushed up the steep ladders leading TO
the lower deck, thin streaks Of flame
began to run along the tops of the cotton
bales. Captain E. Prehn of the Freder-
ick Wilhelm, who was in his cabin at
the time Immediately called a general
alarm. surnmoning every member of the
crew to his post Two lines of ships
hose were run into the hold. but their
streams were ineffective against the
fierce furnace Of fame in the depths of
the ships hold. Seeing the futility of
trying to fight the fire with the ships
equipment. Captain Prehn turned in an
alarm for the city Fire Department. This
brought out every piece of fire fighting
apparatus in HobOken, and the firemen.
under command of Chief Dunn. attacked
the flames with more than twenty lines
of hose.
AS fast as they could, the firemen de-
scended into the hold and endeavored to
deluge the cotton with SO much water
that the fire could not survive, but they
soon found that the dense, choking
smoke was too much for them. Even
with the assistance of smoke protectors,
the men were laid out in rapid success
sion, and within fifteen minutes more
than fifteen of them were carried to the
deck unconscious.
Overcome; Fights His Way Back
Three ambulances from ST. Marys
Hospital were in readiness on the pier,
and as rapidly as the men were carried
to the pier they were attended by the
surgeons who had hard work reviving
them Many of the men insisted upon
returning to duty after they had been
partlv revived, but after facing the
smoke a second time they were COM
nIetelv knocked out and had to be taken
to the hospital One of those who fought
hardest against being taken from the
hold was Chief Dunn. He had twice
been overcome by the fumes from the
ammonia, and the second time he was
led on to the pier by order of Dr. Arlltz' 1
police surgeon
AS he was at the foot OF the gang
blank. supported. by Sergeant Owen Kill
duff and Timothy ]. Kelly, Dunn insisted
rpou being allowed to return to the fire
The men supporting him tried to pre-
vent him, and said that he could return
when he had recovered from the smoke.
This seemed to enrage the Chief who is
a nowerful man, and he wrenched him
self free from the grasp of Kilduff and
Kelly. throwing them both to the
ground. and ran hack and again took ac-
tive command.
After the fire engine had been fighting
the flames for about an hour the fire
boats from the Lackawanna Railroad.
Bath and Morristown, and the New
York Fire Department boat, Thomas
willett. arrived at the pier and moored |
alongside the Prinz Frederick Wilhelm |
They ran lines of hose over the sides
and poured tons of water into the hold.
Ship Will Sail Some Time To-day.
The added assistance soon had the fire |
under control, and then the work of un- |
loading the cotton bales from the hold |
,vas hegun. Two donkey engines worked |
fo, more than an hour at lifting the |
bales on TO the pier and il is this which |
will cause the principal delay in the |
ships sailing.
At the time the fire was in progress |
on ambulance arrived at the pier with a |
sick woman, who was to be a passenger
on the boat When II became evident |
thar the ship could not sail on scheduled |
time. and that the damage done by water |
and fire would prevent any passengers |
eIeening aboard last night, the woman |
ans taken to st. Mary's Hospital.
II was regarded as fortunate that no
were on the Prinz Frederick |