New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-04
SIX FIRES SET
ON SUGAR SHIP
OF THE ALLIES
Federal Agents to Investl-
gate Erie Basin
Blaze.
LONGSHOREMEN HAD
JUST QUIT WORK
Quick Work by Fire Boats Saved
the Euterpe-"Something In
Bags" Says Captain.

With It's hold half filed with sugar
destined for the Allies, the steamship
Euterpe, moored at the Erie Basin, was
found to be on fire in several places
last night. Flames in half a dozen
places were discovered In Hold No. I
by Captain Alfred Smith, who declared
that they were undoubtedly Of In
cendiary origin.
So strong was the suspicion that the
Ere had been started by German sym
pathizers that not only was Fire Mar
shal Brophy notified, but the Federal
authorities as we'll. The former ar
rived at the ship late last night and
began his investigation; the govern
ment is expected to start an inquiry
o-day.
Mr.. Brophy would not say after his
preliminary examination of the ship
what had cauG.d the fire. He ad-
mitted, though, that he would probably
summon to Fire Headquarters to-mor-
row the captains Of the lighters Dixie
and james Kerwin, which have been
bringing the sugar from the American
Sugar Refinery in Jersey City to the
Euterpe, the head stevedore and num-
ber Of other employees on the vessel
and dock.
Lieutenant Busby, of Captain Tun-
ney's bomb squad, which has been In
vestigating alleged German plots to
cripple ships and ammunition plants,
also went to Brooklyn to cooperate
in the fire inquiry.
Captain Smith first saw the flames
shooting forth from the hold at 6:4O
o'clock-forty minutes after the steve
dores had left for the day. He no
ticed, he said later. that they came
from bags Of sugar in a way to make
him believe that some toreign sub
stance had been mixed in the bags.
The Euterpe, which has already
made three trips in the interests OF
the Allies-two with wheat to Mar
seilles, and another with coal to Bor-
deaux-arrived here Monday and was
docked at the long pier at Breakwa-
ters. Erie Basin, at the foot OF Van
Brunt Street. She was TO have sailed
Saturday for England with this cargo,
5000 bags having already been placed
aboard.
Many men had access to the hold
where the sugar was being stored, and
Il would not have been difficult for
them to have started a small blaze
which In forty minutes could readily
have been communicated 70 the cargo.
That this had been done was the belief
last night of those who had seen the
fires.
CAPTAIN Smith first noted the flames
and told men of the crew to hurry TO
The Union Sulphur Company. nearby
where there is group of men organi-
lied to fight fires. They responded to
the alarm. as did the freboats New
Yorker and Seth Low. and 1t took an
hour of their combined work to sub
due the flames which most Of the time
shot far out of the hold.
Meanwhile the police nad arrived to
aid, and when the fires had been ex-
tinguished they estimated that $4,000
damage had been done to the sugar
and 81 900 10 the vessel.
The captain then stated that ne
thought the fire was incendiary, al
though he remarked that he had not
received any threats.
Owned BY Scamvaga Brothers. OF II
Union Hall Street, London, the Euterpe
is operated by the Calliope Steamship
Company, which, it is understood, has
the ship under charter for the Brit
ish government. The Euterpe was built
in 1888, is of 6,2l0 tons. and can carry
a cargo of 100000 pounds.