STEAMER NEW YORK BURNS AT NEWBURG.

FIRE ALSO DESTROYS PIER IN SHIPYARDS THERE AND THREATENS OTHER VESSELS.

FOUR MEN REPORTED LOST.

SAID TO HAVE BEEN ASLEEP ON BOARD -- FIREMEN'S HOSE TIES UP WEST SHORE TRAINS.

Special to The New York Times.
Newburg, Wednesday, Oct. 21. -- The steamer NEW YORK of the Albany Day Line burned to the water's edge early this morning while the vessel was tied up for repairs at the THOMAS S. MARVEL Shipbuilding Company's yards, a concern in which ex-Gov. ODELL is deeply interested. The blaze was spectacular, and lighted up the river for several miles.
The heat radiated by the big blaze prevented the firemen from approaching close enough to get the boat away from the pier. As a result, this structure, as well as several other vessels, are threatened by the fire. Among the boats in this position is the Trojan, a new craft of the Albany Line, which is still on the ways and which was to have been launched in a few days.
At 1:50 o'clock this morning the fire had been kept from the Trojan, which it was believed would be saved. The stringing of hose across the tracks here has held up all traffic on the West Shore Railroad.
At 2:30 A.M. four members of the crew were believed to have lost their lives.
When the fire started the crew of seventy-three men, including Capt. A. H. HARQUART, commander of the steamer, were asleep in their berths. The flames, which started in the after-hold, gained headway so quickly that in less than five minutes the entire after-end of the craft was in flames.
Some one ran through the sleeping quarters giving the alarm, and in a moment the crew had assembled on deck. Capt. HARQUART ordered his men ashore, realizing that it was impossible to save the boat.
Soon after the crew had reached the shore it was discovered that four colored waiters were missing. Capt. HARQUART sent messengers all over the ship yards in search of the missing men, but they could not be found. One of the sailors said that he was sure the four men had been trapped below decks by the flames and had perished.
It was only last Friday night that the NEW YORK had a narrow escape, when she was run into by the tugboat William H. Flannery in the North River, off Thirtieth Street. Neither vessel was seriously damaged, but the seventy-five passengers on the NEW YORK had a bad scare, while the Captain of the tug, THOMAS M. FARRELL, was later arrested and charged with intoxication and criminal negligence.
The NEW YORK was built in Wilmington, Del., in 1887 by Harlan & Hollingsworth, and has been on of the most conspicuous passenger vessels in the Hudson River service for many years. She carried a crew of seventy-three, and was commanded by Capt. FROST. The NEW YORK had a gross tonnage of 1,974. She was 335 feet in length, had a breadth of 40.4 feet, and a depth of 11.2 feet. Her engines had a capacity of 8,850 horse power.

The New York Times New York 1908-10-21
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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!