New-York tribune., 1918-01-27
Shipyards and Munitions Fires Cause
Suspicion Of German Torch Plot
drnnned wy ouNllVy

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dropped. '"' snah'y
The barges and their cargo werc d.
stroyed. and the flames swept alonv
.nc pier toward the temporary ware
houses OF the Quartermaster's Corps.
Euip'ng down a dozen freight cars "a
'hey raced. 1t was evident that the
military fire department. was absurdlv
inadequate to fight the blaze that had
sprung up in five minutes. Engines
we're called from this city. A tireboat
from New York and four tire-fightinr
Jugs owned by railroads also were sent
10 the fire, and eventually reached it
after desperate struggle with ice.
Haif milo away arc the plants of
the Federal Shipbuilding Company and
the Foundation Company. Even closer
are the buildings of the Submarine
Boat Corporation.
with these vital spots in mind. the
soldiers planted twenty sticks Of dyna-
mite midway Of the blazing pier and
set them Oft. They tore gap in tho
concrete more than twenty feet across.
but the fire was not halted by it. Still
feeding on the oil which was spoutinr
all about as the barrels in the barpes
burst, the fire raced along the ice BE-
meath the gap and enwrapped the sec
ond section Of the pier 1t was not
until after O'Clock this afternoon that
inc oiazc was said to be under control.
/, mad not reached the Quartermas-
tcr's warehouses nor any Of tho other
buildings, thanks in large measure to
the bucket brigades Of soldiers. who
scrambled about upon the roofs of the
threatened structures, dousing evcry
ember.
Sergeant Mark McCabe. one of the
first of those to take up the work
planted a ladder against one of the
wooden warehouses and swarmed to
the top AS his head reached the level
0, the roof some one struck him a
glanclng blow on the head with club
McCabe rolled down the ladder and
picked himself up, half dazed. Never
theless, he returned at once to the task
TINS time, however, with his automatic
IN hand.
with the utmost caution ne inched
MS head up above the caves. His ewes
rad not yet reached height to afford
hlm such view as might be gained of
the roof when bullet tipped through
his campaign hat, almost causing him
10 tumble to the ground again Instead
ne ieaped to the roof. blazing away
Irantlcaiiy at the shadows with his pis-
tol. Although McCabe had no human
trophy. there was neatly drilled hole
through the peak of his lat to certify
to his story.
After the fire was beaten down two
piles OF half burned coal, two or three
shoTclfuls in each. were found near the
point where it started. 1t was said that
the coal had no business to be there
nor mad coal fire. 1t was admitted
that watchmen might have kindled the
little heaps to warm themselves, but it
was not considered likely that the most
audaclous watchman would have kim
died two fires.
1t will take three or four months to
repair the pier, but it can be put into
shape to use long before that time
The damage to the pier is estimated at
S40O.0O0. The fire will throw about
10000 out Of work to-day, but it is
thought that they will be back again by
tomorrow.
SO thoroughly convinced were Off
cials that the terminal fire was kndled
IN the interest of Germany and in the
hope of setting back the whole work
there for months, and perhaps of sweep
ing all the shipbuilding plants from the
meadows, that Governor Edge called
out the 5th Battalion of the State Mi
litia last night and directed them to
guard the plant Of the Foundation
Company.
The state troops were mobilized at
the request of +. P. Dalzell, an inspect
or of the United States Shipping Board,
who is at the plant. The Foundation
Company is building wooden ships Near
ing Company, and the Home Guard of
Kearny, armed with rifles and revol-
vers, was turned out to do picket duty
there