The New York herald., 1920-01-09
Ship at Hoboken Lists to Her
Side as She Is Flooded
with Water.
EXPLOSION MENACES
400 WORKMEN IN HOLD
Vessel Quilted by Flames, Which
Defy Firemen in Long
Fight.

Swept by flames which satrted at -four
O'Clock yesterday afternoon, the steam
ship st. Louis of the American Line, LISTED
more than forty degrees I'm her berti
alongside the kroonland in the Fletcher
Docks, Hoboken, Just before last mid
night. The loss is estimated at 81 900, 600
A wrecking crew was at work early ir
the morning pumping out the thousand:
of tons of water which were poured into
her during the eight-hour fight against the
flames. 1t was feared she would list still
further, turn turtle and sink.
Some months ago the vessel turned tur.
tic at her pier in Manhattan. She wa.
righted ard was being repaired and con.
verted back to passenger ship when the
fire started.
The St. Louis served through the war
as troop Ship making many trips with
American troops as the transport Louis
Vile. She had been returned to her own
ers by the government and the American
line officials had tentatively announced
the resumption OF her regular trips to
Southampton, Cherbourg and Plymouth
on February Z.
A thick haze overhung the Jersey shore
during the fire. lending to the spectacular
aspect Of the mounting flames. 1t was
thought for a time that the pier and the
Kroonland were in flames.
Only after two hours of desperate fight
ing did the Hoboken Fire Department, the
New York foreboat Thomas Willett and
the fire tugs Washington Newark
Orange and Montclair, of the Lackawanna
Railroad. save the Kroonland. The tide
was at ebb when the fire began and both
vessels were deep in mud.
Gasoline Torch ExpIodcs.
The firso is said to have started from the
explosion of a gasoline torch in the hands
OF one of the workmen in the first class
dining saloon. The flames worked with
incredible rapidity TO the first class cabin
state rooms and quickly spread the length
of the ship. More than 400 workmen were
aboard the ship when the first alarm
sounded. Many were forced TO fight their
way through the flames and the dense
smoke clouds which rolled through the
ship.
At first it was believed that many work
men had been cut off by the flames and
had perished in the hold. but a complete
check Of the yard employees at midnight
showed that all hands had escaped. Ed
ndlu lldHltlSOtl, Ol NO. GDU ClISt SlTttt.
Hoboken, and Edawrd Downey, of No.
230 Griffith street. Jersey City, were over
come by the smoke and were taken to
Christ Hospital, Jersey City, where II is
said they will recover.
About eight o'clock the flames started
up with redoubled fury, and Just before
nine o'clock the vessel took her first list,
sending firemen aboard the ship scurrying
to the deck of the Kroonland.
The fire tugs held their palces close be-
side the st. Louis for time but the list
ing OF the vessel created an added draft
and soon they were obliged to back away.
wreckinE Crew Called.
All hope of saving the interior OF the
vessel was abandoned at eleven o'clock.
The firemen continued to play the streams
through the portfolios, but at midnight the
fire was burning as fiercely as at any
time during the afternoon or early eve
ming.
call was sent to the eMrritt- Chapman
Wrecking Company as II was feared that
the vessel would turn completely over.
The wrecking crew prepared to bore
through the side of the ship above the
water line and to rig pumps to take out
the water she already held.
Firemen and those familiar with the in
terror OF the vessel said that no portion of
her escaped the flames. The ship had
been in dock for six weeks, and the task
OF remodelling her for passenger service
was within three weeks Of COMPLETION