The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-07-19
SPECTACULAR FIRE
IN PASSENGER SHIP
Big Oil-Burning Steamer Massa-
chusetts Ablaze in East
River.
THOUSANDS WITNESS SIGHT
Passengers Almost Panic-Srick-
en-, but Flames Are Extin-
guished-Boat Continues.
Especial to The rimes-Dispa,ch.1 !

L IL.
New York. July IS,-More than 10o,-
600 persons gathered on the Battery
and the Brooklyn and Manhattan
Bridges late this afternoon and
watched the most spectacular steam
ship fire New York has seen since
the burning OF the General Slocum in
the East River in 1904, with its record
of 600 deaths
The passenger steamship Massachu-
setts. with 200 passengers and a crew
OF more than 200. an oilburner had
cleared from her pier in the North
River and swung into New York Bay
shortly after o'clock, when there
came sudden burst OF flame through
the upper works amdships. where the
after funnel rose from the oil tank
room in the hold
Too far from his own pier to return
with safety, Captain II. w. Colbeth.
who was on the bridge when the nre
was discovered. decided to land his
snip n tho Battery Swinging around
he found that all the available dock
ing space was occupied by the Satur-
day evening excursion steamers. Still
afraid TO risk turning his vessel
around and back into the North River
Captain Colbeth rang for slow speed
ahead and started to circle the Battery
and run for n pier In the East River.
two miles distant
ALMOST COMPIHTELY
ENVELOPED IN SMOKI.
BY this time the Massachusetts was
almost completely enveloped in cloud
os dense, black oil smoke. 1t was i'm
possible To rush her at any speed. for
fear the draft so set up would drive
the flames all over the ship.
Every available man was at work.
rigging UP fire hose and preparing to
man the lifeboats while squads told
off from the crew herded the passcn-
the in hru
far from the blaze amdiships as pos
sib,r
With her whistle blowing repeated
distress signal, the Massachusetts slow :
~ swung across the Battery front. past
Governors Island, and into the East
River Half q dozen. Rreboats by this
time had stood by. ,but Captain Col.
beth sigEaled that he thought it would
be safer TO keep on up the. river. as .he
hoped 10 keep the flames partly under
control until some way could be found
TO get the passengers ashore.
The fireboats blowing their sirens in
weird chorus to clear the pathway OF
shipping conveyed the Massachusetts
and practically all the small craft in
the harbor steamed up. to stand by in
case more assistance was needed
PASSENGERS FRIGHTENED
NEARLY INTO HYsTERICs
The passengers, frightened nearly
into mysteries, were kept from panic
only by the heroic work OF the SQUADS
detailed to look after them, but as the
smoke grew denser and settled down
about the decks, 1t became apparent
that IL would be unable to control them
for amy great length OF time
Al last the steamer crauled into
the Wall-About Market. directly he
tween the Manhattan and Brooklyn
Bridges, and made fast. The smoke
soon died down. and when the fire.
boat crews had Joined their efforts TO
those of the seamen on the Massachu-
setts the blaze was soon eXtinguished
The two bridges. the great Manhat-
tan structure and the Brooklyn Bridge.
were black with people who had
rushed on street cars. elevated tracks.
and taNicabs to view the blaze, news
OF which had spread all over lower
Manhattan with incredible swiftness.
The Battery and the river front also
were denscly packed. and every one
who watched expected that at any mo-
ment the oil tanks in the Massachu-
set,s might blow UP and shatter the
ship.
In less than an hour, however the
blaze was out, and after making a
few necessary repairs. it resumed its
trip TO Boston. Captain Colbeth re-
ported that the fire had been caused
by fire dropping from torch Into
some oily bilge when the first assistant
engineer carried the torch into the
shaftroom to oil the machinery