The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-17
CITY INTELLIGENCE.


lFof AddtRCn0t Local Items see Third P0ge. |
TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE UNITED
STATES IRoN-cLAD FRIeATE NEW IRoNsIDEs. -
In. addition to our narrative on the third page of
to-day's paper we have been favored by an eye
witness with the following interesting and accurate
account of the burning OF this magnificent sbip:-
To understand the "situation" fully 1t is necessary
to state that all the ironcads in the Delaware were
temporarily laid up IN ordinary at League Island
near the city, as soon they sent out of COM
mission at the close of the war, to await the action
OF Congress upon the final selection of q per
manent depot for aTmored vessels. The light
draft iron.clads, and three or four doub e.enders
were moored in a long line in the channel
behind the island, and the mightier ships, the
1t NeW nonS.des, Dictator, CgnonicuS, and Atlanta
Ken, near Savannah. CAL were anchored IN about
i0ur iathoms OF water on the river front of the
lsiand ana about six hundred feet from the shore.
The Dictator farthest down the river the Anntn
astern OF her on the starboard quarter and the Iro
and anchors, with their bows facing down the
stream, and SO close together that you could step
month since, towed up to the yard to be docked
and painted, and the old sloop ofwar 50. Louis and
cads and the Shore and above the wharf The
Others were in the position above stated when the
Between 10 and II O'Clock on Saturday night Mr..
Frederckson, the watchman on duty on the frirate
NeU IronStdes, observed strong smell of sun Ike
teund to issue from the enRineI DOM, near the afer
bulkhesd and near small stove, winch we are In.
formed, was kept there for warming purposes
The alarm of fire was Immediately given, and
those on duty on the Dictator, Atlanta, aud
iTOn-clad fleet who are quartered on the Ndpa, IN
the back channel, were summoned for aid Most Of
them had retired for the night but the alarm of fire
is peculiarly stirring cry to a naval officer, and
they were soon on the spot Commander John
Irwin, who was nos well at the time was at his post
with his corps OF officers, and active efforts were
made 10 suppress the fire by means of buckets and
tarpauIns to check the draft. etc but the den,e
black smoke, which now rose in immense volumes
overpoweIed and drove them to the spar deck
special messenger, named 0Neill, was des
faithful fellow, at "ooube quick, !" ran the en- ire
distance easily four miles, in twenty nine minutes;
ana, after alarming the fire companies in the lower
House reported TO the officer of the day. Lieutenaqt
u g, Coohrane, OF the Marine Corps, who imma-
dlrtely aroused the Commandant and other officers
OF the Yard. The naval tugs Pilgrim and Glance
were ordered to get up steam. The captain of the
pilot, and by O'Clock had started with the Execu
tive officer Of the Yard, Cap'ain w. Ell. DIacomb,
Cochrane, for the island, distant by water seven
miles. The Glance followed little later, with a
detachment of sailors from the Giving ship Con.
steloton. Long before either arrived, however the
ironsideS was doomed craft
Ihe steam lire engine Shiftier was first on the
ground, followed by the Southwark and Franklin,
and the Marion, Franklin, and Southwark Hose
Companies, and two others, whose names
sOrry not to recollect, as their marvellous prom Jt.
ness IN such long run was worthy OF ali praise.
Unfortunately, tho tide was at the lowest ebb and,
as the pier or platform leading out to the vessels
which we're moored toPether with immense iron
chains, was too narrow to admit the wheels of me
steamers tney experienced the double difficulty OF
being unable to procure proper su oply OF water,
or approach nearer than five or six hundred feet Of
the hre.
The fremen, however, won't to work with q will,
and with the assistance of the marines, who were
leading out the hose, succeeded in getting stream
on the bow OF the ship about two O'Clock, .
The scene was now grand and impressive. The
N nj An fha mt Ian u,
the huge monster-the burning masts, like pillars of
fire, stood up in bold relief against the dark back
grim iron walls-and the grim sentry on the deck of
the Dictator quietly paced his beat the perfection
efmilltary dscipine-but admiration was suppressed
The "Pride of Philadelphia" the terror of Charles
States almost fresh from the scenes of her trumphs
was in the throes of an ignobe death, and those
most Tno anxious so%th were po%eTIess @ 70 save her
action By cutting the ice and drawing water fro
ditch Two streams were added from the tugs and
to time the fire yielded. Nearly half OF the ship
that part forward OF the mainmast-was darkened,
but the wind blew sharper and colder, ana nothing
Had she been alongside of dock there is no doubt
that the hremen would have conquered. About
across the Geek toward the portside; at A. the
mizzenmast fell over astern and an hour later the
mainmast followed suit, but aid not all go into the
water About 1t commenced showing and blowing
iuriously; at 8 the Pilgrim, with the marines, re-
turned to the Navy Yard and about 8 the engines
with overcoats frozen stiff as boards The portsIde
OF the vessel had then fallen in, and it was believed
she would soGn sink
Those who were costly sleeping in nice warm beds
can have little idea OF the events OF that night Two
firemen belonging to the Sh'ffier Company were
mounting ladder on the starbOard side OF the NeeC
LOnasides when its lashings gave way and prec
pitated one OF them into the icecod Delaware, and
the other to the solid deck of the Dictator.
The first was in great peril for a few moments as
he was jammed between the hulls of the two vessels
in very narrow space and the tide and floating ice
were both forcing thtir way through, but some OF
his comrades and a gala marine fshed him uU
and carried him to the ward-room of the Dictator
where there was a warm fire. The water from the
bursting hose froze in all directions and the decks
of the iron vessels and the foot planks were so slip
perry that It was only by using the life lines that
could get aboard.
The Net0 Irohsides was built in Philadelphia in
1862 by A errick Sons, and cost about $3.50 900.
She was perfect success, and served faithfully as
every one knows, on the Atlantic coast until the
close OF the war lhe neighboIinR vessels the 81
Louis and CiepiutiS, saved by beng Iowed off
Various ideas to the origin of the fire are enter
tained, but Naval Court OF Inquiry, which /,
u,ualy ordered decide such points, will be re-
ouired to make full official investigation OF the
cause and see il the proper precautions against lre
ha6 been employed.