The New York herald., 1922-07-09
FIRE RACES NLNER,,
BAND QUIETS CROWD
Blaze Starts i'm Hold Of the
Nieuw Amsterdam at Pier,
Delaying Sailing.
100 FIREMEN OVERCOME
Caustic Soda Fumes Hamper
Fighters-SmOke Shrouds
Waterfront.
100 FIREMEN OVERCOME

Six hundred and sixty passengers
booked to sail for Europe on the
Nieuw Amsterdam of the Holland
America Line were ordered ashore yes
terday afternoon after fire fighters had
failed to quench flames that had been
raging nearly all day in an afterhold
of the 1900 ton steamer, in dock at
it's Hoboken pier. and the vessels de-
parture was delayed until Tuesday
noon.
Most Of the first and second class
passengers returned to their cabins in
the steamer last night. after being as
sured that the fire was entirely out,
but the third class passengers were
sent to hotels in the city.
The blaze was not discovered until
shortly before II o'clock yesterday fore
noon. when 1t had already gained con-
siderable headway. After steady bat
tie with the smouldering flames lasting
six hours. they were finally extin-
guished at o'clock Meanwhile the
ships fire fighting crew. finding itself
unable to cope with the blaze, had
called out the Hoboken Fire Depart
ment and fireboats from the New York
Fire Department. Nearly hundred
firemen were overcome In fighting the
blaze, though none was reported as seri-
ously injured.
In the absence Of other explanations
officials of the Holland-America Line
said last night that the fire probably
was caused by spontaneous combustion.
Capt. Van Der Heuvel. in command
of the vessel said that while the dam
age to the cargo might, on a rough esti-
mate. reach $4,000. 1t was entirely COW
cred by insurance. He said the dam
age to the vessel itself was negligible.
Smoke shrouds Waterfront.
When the blaze was first discovered
in afterhold No. 5, the ships officials
believed that the crew could handle It.
and passengers were allowed to con-
tinue to board the steamer, which was
scheduled to sail at noon. At this hour
the fire apparently was under control
and the fighters relaxed their efforts.
only to discover that the smoke which
enshrouded the vessel and covered the
Hoboken waterfront became more dense.
a call for additional fire apparatus
was sent in. and when the passengers
were ordered ashore two Hoboken fire
engines and a fireboat were pumping
dozen streams of water into the hold
and the ships fire apparatus was work.
ing.
In addition to the $50 passengers there
were about 1000 visitors aboard the
steamer when ii was decided to send
all but the crew and firemen ashore, and
several thousand viewed the scene from
the pier.
The fire was fought TO music. With
the ship enveloped in smoke and fire.
fighters bending every effort to curb the
blaze a brass band OF boys and a bugle
corps Of girls from the Hebrew Orphans
Home of Hoboken. come to bid farewell
to Joseph Bernstein, president of the
institution, and his wife, alternated in
sounding stirring music from the pier.
Chief Officer Rudolph Van Erb. the
first victim of the fire, discovered the
smoke in one of the aft matches shortly
before IL o'clock. Armed only with a
fire extlnguisher he rushed into the hold
to find the fire. Several minutes later
he was dragged out unconscious but the
fire extinguisher, clasped in his hands,
was still playing on the flames.
The firemen nearly exhausted their
resources In discovering the source of
the blaze. Finally two firemen, In COM
plete underwater equipment, were low
cred into the hold to explore and direct
the lines of hose. 1t was found that the
blaze had eaten It's way from a small
storeroom into large grain hatch un-
derneath. indications being that 1t had
started early yesterday morning.
Captain Joins the Fight.
Acting Battalion Chief Frederick Muir
ray. commanding the 10Th Battalion his
aide. Fireman Charles II. Thompson,
and the entire crew OF eight men de-
tailed to the New York freboat James
Duane were overcome by smoke and
had to be rescued after falling uncon-
scious while assisting in fighting the
fire. When the Hoboken fire department
requested the New York fire department
to send fireboats the James Duane and
"Willett' were dispatched.
Stripped to his waist and black as a
stoker, Capt. Van Den Heuvel spent most
OF the afternoon in the hold shoulder to
shoulder with the fire fighters.
Chief Andrew Keller OF the Hoboken
fire department went back into the smok-
ing hold twice after being knocked out
by the dense fumes. and the third time
nv WAS tdIAltO oub anu oAANeNhNN VII H
cot in the ships hospital.
Among others who were overcome by
the smoke while fighting the flames were
Miss Julia Lichenstein, a nurse from
st. Mary's Hospital; Fireman Michael
McManus OF Engine Company No. 3.
Hoboken. who returned to fight the
fire after the doctors revived him
Thomas Costello, a longshoreman, who
was found unconscious In the hold
Capt. Charles Meier Of the Hoboken
Fire Department. and many others
Many needing treatment were sent 70
ST. Mary's Hospital, while others were
simply given first aid on the ship.
The Hoboken police were Informed
that hold No. 8. where the fire started.
contained caustic soda, lard. and motor
cycles. Grain and sugar. II was said,
we're In lower hold. directly under No
g. into which the flames gradually ate
their way 1t was said that the fumes
from the burning caustic soda were re-
sponsible for rendering SO many hremen