Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1916-02-16
RUSSIAN SHIPS
DESTROYED
Bolton Castle and Pacific
Prey to Flames at Docks
in New York
THRILLING ESCAPES
THRILLING ESCAPES
Captain of Bolton City Says Explo-
sion Preceded Fire-Plot Seen in
Burning of, Ships.

New York, Feb. 16-Suddcnly burst
ing into flame, the steamship Bolton
Castle was destroyed by fire early
today at her slip in Brooklyn
The steamer Pacific, lying nearby.
also was burned to the waters edge
when the flames ate their way through
the pier.
Both vessels were in the service
of theRussian government. The Boz
ton Castle was loaded with parafine,
gasolene and oils, and the Pacific
nearly half loaded.
Fire Marshal Broph and Fire Chief
Kenlon Immediately began an investi-
cation, detaining melabers of the
crews for questioning. They believe
the fire started under suspicious cir
cumstances, and suspect a possible
bbom plot. #
All available fire apparatus in
Brooklyn was called into action to pre-
vent general contiagration, and
every fire boat in the southern end
of the city played stream on the burn
| ing vessels and the pier For tine
! it was feared the fire would go be-
yond control.
When the fire was brought under
control it was declared ito lives were
i believed to have been lost. Fifty nal
ed. men were rescued from one sarG
barge.
President Claude Wood, of the At
lantic Stevedore Company. said thcre
+ was more than million dollars worth
Of merchandise on the destroyed rel
and estimated the total loss in ships
merchandise and pier upward OF
| S4,000,000.
1t was reported that twenty-five
coolies were missing from the Pac:I.
but this has not been confirmed TIE
ships officers say if they escaped t.:c
coolies probably would have fed f'om
the scene. Six members Of the Bolton
Castles crew were also reported miss.
ing.
Joseph Johnson, an engineer Of tie
Bolton Castle. told vivid story of the
fire, one of the most spectacular n
the history Of the water front.
Johnson was walking on the for
ward deck, he said, when there was g
terrific explosion in the hold. Instant
ly the forward portion Of the ship
became a furnace of flames, and
Johnson dived into the slip and swan
to pier 3G'.
The pier, jammed with stevcdores
and freight, in fe wmoments also
was a mass of flames. The fire next
leaped to the Pacific, and both ships
and the pier, according to johnson,
were completely envelopcd in fire in
an incredibly short time.
Firemen aboard the freboav New
York, at the risk of instant death,
nosed their vessel alongside the Paci.
fc when the fire was at its he! !gh. and
averted further disaster by towing
away gasolene- laden lighter. Bum.
ing brands were already falling or
the lighters deck, about which were
piled $50 barrels of gasolene
Six lighters were drawn along the
vessels sides. More than fifty steve
dores and their families sleeping
aboard these lighters were saved by
. firemen with a bridge of rope.
One of the Pacifc's seamcn, trap
ped as he ran up from below, cliinec
the ffty-foot mast. and half M
, hung at the top peak, yellowing FL
, help Flames roared below him. Fl,
dared not jump, fearing he could nc
. clear the deck. One OF the fire tug
shot him line from a gun used b.
life-savers. He knotted one end a!.o,
the mast and slid to safety while hi
. comrades on deck cheered him wildly