The New York herald., 1921-06-14
FIRE AGAIN ATTACKS
WILSON PEACE ship
George Washington, Being
Repaired, Is Badly Dam
aged a Second Time.
WORK OF INCENDIARY
New York Sends Aid to HO-
boken and Big Force
SubdueS Flames.
ONE WORKMAN ARRESTED
Blaze Set Deliberately, Is the
Opinion of President of Com
pany and Supt. of Yard.
WORK OF INCENDIARY
ONE WORKMAN ARRESTED

Fire, seemingly Of incendiary origin,
yesterday attacked the Wilson peace
ship George Washington for the sec
ond time this month. The vessel which
Is undergoing repairs at the yards of
Tietjen 4 Lang. Hoboken, for her new
owners, the United States Mail Steam
ship Company. was damaged TO the
extent of $4,000. The first fire. on
June l. did 100000 damage.
Leo Miller, who was working with a
gang Of electricians on the ship, was
arrested on a charge Of breaking and
entering because he was found during
the fire kicking the door of cabin
In the ship. He explained that he was
excited by the fire, and was trying to
flnd his tools, which he thought might
be in that cabin. He was released on
$500 bail. but will be closely ques-
toned this morning. Miller is 30 and
lives at 135 Dodd street, West Ho-
boken. He said he was a carpenter.
Both fires on the liner were of incen-
diary origin. Henry Dendel, superin-
tendent of the yard. said last night. He
added that investigation of the first fire
had not yet been completed
Just at quitting time, when squads of
worlSmen were packing UP their tools
preparatory TO leaving for the day, fire
was discovered In three second cabin
staterooms on deck amidships. Ship
yard hremen. all available Hoboken ap-
paratus. nineteen railroad tugs and the
New York f1reboat Thomas Willett were
called upon before the blaze was under
control. Six workmen were overcome
by smoke. They were revived by am
bulance surgeons from Bergen Santa
rum and st. Marys Ho spital.
Francis r. Mayer. president OF the
steamship company, accompanied by A.
f. Brock. his chief inspector, made an
immediate investigation. Mr. Mayer
said:
There were no wires in the roor,s
where the fire started: no fire, no
torches, nothing to kindle a spark.
There are only two ways It could have
happened; some one carelessly threw
away lighted match after lighting q
cigarette. or some one threw the match
Intentionally.
For one OF the worlzmen 70 be caught
smoking on board means instant dis
missal. so the alternative of careless
ness seems remote. In any case the
cause of the fire was criminal negligence
or viciousness. Two fires within such a
short period look suspicious, but It Is n
very serious charge to make without
proof"
Mr. Mayer added that he thought the
damage this time would not exceed
nd W.
July 80 as scheduled. Since President
Wilson returned on the George Wash
ington in the summer OF 1919. after his
second trip to Paris, the ship has been
tied up at Hoboken-one of the Shipping
Boards silent fleet" The United States
Mail Line planned to make her the finest
passenger carrier afloat and more than
s1,000.000 i'm repairs and improvements
had been ordered. Work was begun
May and was nearing completion.
Electric wiremen and joiners had beer
employed In the three staterooms before
the fire was discovered yesterday. With.
in two minutes after the alarm was
given the yardmen had a stream or
the ship from the pier. Thick smoke
from the fresh paint and varnish made
their work difficult and within a few
minutes six OF the volunteer firemen heo
collapsed. They were carried to safet,
and other men took their places unit
relieved by the Hoboken regular Fire
Department.
River craft were summoned and {
swarm OF tugs from the Lackawanna
Pennsylvania and New York Centra
railroads soon threw so much water int
the smoking portfolios that the vesse
took n list TO starboard of about twent,
degrees. The New York Fire Depart
ment was called upon for the secon'
in tvun pyAn