, 1866-12-20
DISASTROUS FIRE.
Destruction Of the Iron.clad
"NeW Ironsides."


(FTom the Philadelphia Press. December II.
ut ten minutes past twelve o'clock, Satur-
the iron.clad fleet at League Island, arrived
al the house Of the Shitller Steam Engine
and Hose Company. and lodged information
that tic !" New lronsides" was on fire and
likely 10 be destroyed. The apparatus OF the
con,iany was taken to the scene ut once,
aud the messenger proceeded to the navy
yard, where he gave The same Information.
lfy rome means or other unexplained, the
nlu, III Was not communicated By telegraph
to the Central Station until quarter before
light O'Clock yesterday morning.
dable and thrilling. Tic marines were beat
to quarters, aud forty Of them, with the
messenger, embarked on board the steam
in haste on this fine vessel. 1.-THE short
space Of titty-tArec minutes from the time
| the Information Of the progressing disaster
was lodged at the gard the Pilgrim had ar
rived, and from her steam pump the water
| was thrown in great pzotusion on board the
| Jron>idcs.
All the hatchcs were down, the only pre-
caution that could he reso1tcd to to prevent
| the flames getting vent, aud thus quickly
! spreading. This was absolutely necessary,
| rf course, and. though the fire was increas-
ing, yet no light Was made for several hours.
| The Shtifier steamer arrived before the
"Pilsrin,r ~ and, in order to obtain supply
| cf wate1, the apparatus was taken across
the island and run out on the pier, there be-
Inr not more than three or four inches mar
gin for the wheels. This was q dangerous
experiment, and from which some idea may
i be formed Of the excitement attending the
scene, aud the great anxiety Of the tirctnen
| to save the property Of the Government.
Some Of these yery. men had done good scr.
VICE In the Inflated vessel in several naval
engagements in Which she took part during
| tic rebellion.
| the SITUATION or TIE VESSELS.
The monitors are located Ia the inside chan
mel, vest Of the bridge that coaneets TIE
Of the Island is q long pier. built on . line
with Broad street. At the end Of this pier
the New lronsiIes was moo5cd, with her head
or bow down the river. To the stafboard Of
this steamer, on the bow end, was moored
between the last named vessel and the island
the United States sloop.of-war St. Lonts, d
wooden vessel, Was stationed. Between the
island, at the stern OF the New 1ron-iles, was
99e WapEa sound n 1sa ha'
When the Shi1licr had arrived By land, and
the Pilgria{l by water, the smoke was rolling
up from all parts Of the tFousides. and occa:
sioua''y AickeEing cli1ntneE Of light would
appear and then retreat, so to speak, amid
tic smoke Of the volcano within, The wind
nj this time commenced to freshen from the
northeast, and forctokencd brewing storm
This current famed the flames and smoke o.
| the burning steamer F1tHeF IloM lue otuel
vessels. Il was deemed necessary, however
to remove the St. Louis, and accordingly &
towing cable was fastened to the steam tun
Tempest, that had been chartered I" on sight
hy Government officials. and the fine, noblt
sioop-of.war was safely moorcd at safe dis
tauce on the stream in few minutes.
MORE BRILLIANT Scene
At about two O'Clock, the drc that hat
stubbornIy Enouldcrcd up 70 this time
burst forth from th9 poftLoles ana ,3aSt hate9 @
plos,ons. 1t Was thought these explosion
were made By gunpowder; they we're slight
however, and may have resulted from some
Z thtrg else. The great tongues Of fire sho
o sys1y vent ana nssnS reg ny ~
ofthe vessel, they presented all colors, iron
; silvcry white to deep red. The roaring Of th
: flames, aud the falling Of heavE materials
, and the rcd glare Feaeeting back flor
} eaid. % was sndescribably beautiful. /
was light enough to '''pick pin up" lor ;
long distance from the burning iron-c1ad
i | The lower nasts and Immense smose-stac
! we're still standing, around which the fer
, fIood dashed aud roared tn angry waves. sent
{ inc alof1 great sheets OF brilliant sparks c
/ | spray. TINT descended harmless again int
the 1e'ssars ,ss F!ns.y 1t xlb sS0,e do f0f
). heavy, crashing or booming sound, an
: countless sparks were borne away BY tt
: Wild wind that had feshcned almost to
J.. gale. A portion Of the iron plates OF th
4 | upper structure Of the steamer were hcate
4 10 rcdness, and seemed to spring fr1m the
a | fastcuturs. Shortly atter tour O'Clock. tt
n main lower mast fell across the waist Of Il
Il vessel and broke 1t In two, one portion rcacl
4 ipr the river over the side. At dye o'cloe
N the other two lower 1nasts fell fure aud al
e crushing everything in their course.
- \ sEow-sroRM BEGINS.
le 4 picture worthy Of the painters penc
ii | now presented Itself. Walls the f1ro e.
4 | burning with Intense fervor and brillauc
= ! snow began to fall-1he time WAS half-pa
h. dye o'clock. The flakes were large, md Il
4. | thick and fast, aud might very we'll a1sw
= ns lively substitute for "meteoric sho
- err It really seemed that water was mo
a like fuel to the flames than anything else,
.h they burst ont more brilliantly when q da
q. ofthc burning debris. E&Every expedient y
rcsortcd TO 10 get the lronsides from t
tnoosings into shoal water, but all In va
in Her fastcnings were made OF stout iron, u
thus resisted the heat. To reach them v
Ia | impossible.
When the foremast fell the bowspTit 50
,s followed, bnt 1t dipped into the river. O
~ ~, Of tho steam tugs fastened on to 1t q
- dragged it of. This may really be cons
~ ~ e1ed as the only portion Of the wooiwe
H. Tint was saved Daybreak 1ually broke
=. upon the scene amid SNOW storm viii
~. for severity, would have done credit to
"a | old fashioned winter. It Was pcfftc
~ ~ bIirdlng to those " no had to face the biz
ia gale that prevailed. The 6htlle1 still