New-York daily tribune., 1866-01-01
TIE GREAT FIRE AT GRereN, CT.
Full and frtcressiBg Particulars - sup
posed Loss Cf Life,
From The Norwlch o. Rulletin. Dec. b.

NJ IL Ofitpk Oh GIIldy morning. 1DVNl ar
hour and half after tie arrival of the steamer Com
nonwealth at her dock IN Groon the dop0. at that
place took fire in the oil room, understand from
the uPsetting of lamp; ne flames spread with such
blaze in a very short time and II was fOfnd impossible
10 check them. The depot was large frame building
with Tar and gravel roef aud censsqaeny % very m
there no time 10 draw out any OF the long carg
filed with freight, OF which there were sxtee, 10 the
budng or even to the empty Of which there
were several waiting be loaded The passenger train
had cft at about 2 O'Clock, aud from that ne nnili
the fire was discovered the had been Unloading
the freight from the boat which on that trip was anu-
snay heavy Including the crew OF the steamer there
were abont twenty five men In and about ne dfpot
when the fire discovered but all their Efforts werc
powerless 20 check IT, From the depot TO the edee ot
the dock where the steamer lay were two long covered
sheds passage ways through which passengers fud
freight passed the boat the IN ncredl-
bly, short space Of time the lire had taken aca ~ ihes
and through them the flames Iolled down a.d spread
their forked tongues out toward tue deVotea conoh
wealth.
Capt. willisms. who reused at the fIsi alarm,
Immediately got rhe pumps at work and endea'ofea 10
move the steamer from the dock. An attempt wax
made 10 urn her wheel but failed for lack o. steam.
The ferry.boa from NewLondOn crossed over carry
inc AT two trims five ire gine from that city, which
were at once set to work to slbduc The fame, Mean
time al fhe efforts TO move rhe steamer aeI as ~ "ss
low water and she was hard aground. toliuLa,.N
neary all the passengers had left the boat, ony icw
for New.LondOn or Norwich remaining on poa-u' vi
the latter was j. Dickinson Ripley o. this cry Nn9
10 Iis room short time before the alarm whs si'en:
Nothing has been heard OF lin SINCE and tte nahid
conviction that he wac s1lOc1ted III trying - eeeape
from the flames has become almost eerain'F yalf.
Williams was with him until after the tram len Tor
Providence aud Boston, when both reufen;
As as il became apparent tna, 'ne oIt' VIZ ~
dancer Cant. Williams went to Mr. fapets sise-
room and rspped loudly the door TO arouse him Ee
eeiyng no answer to his ca aud not beicvilg i p's-
.he that anyone could sleep IN inc a 'e u % S
gone on tie dock. Afterward, wren ne was oi' ue VI
the stateroom on the guard dir1stine tae .)se, he
rspped on the window Of Mr. Ripeys room nitn sfest
volauce and called him. but receiving no answer was
confirm In his opinion that he had gone aslofe IN
/ deed Capt WilIians firmly believed tnat hr ilpey
had gonc ashore crossed the Tyer, and gone L.us N
/ Norwich until, upon inquiry at his moibere lGla.
here Friday morning he found thas notnins i,o seea
seen or heard Of him. Since men, no ldine rave D"rn
heard Of him. and the painful CONVICTION 10 i0gee- npoo
l US that he came 10 bis death as we nave sta,ed.
/ The light upper works Of the steamboat @s soon as
the flames fonchei them. ba@ed up Ike tndeH and IN
less time than are writing. i he'd spread ihgosga
(be magnificent saloons and cabin ana Wialien zen
in the spendor of confasraton. i, was Impossible to
! save hardly anv thing from The wreck. ~. >aMtd
Carter OF this city, engineer. lost what wearing az
pare be had on bOard and others OF the Oh eeTs al
crew were equally unfortunate. The boat oniaea 10
the waters edge the waklrg.bcam iinaAY iaAns
through tine bottom, the boilers rolling Oh ire guards.
and tie chsrred hull Of what few honrS beosc Fss
the magnificent steamer. sinking at the dock
The total loss 10y tnis conf airratlol ednnGs vtl %
ostlmared at this time Tie freight, O. wi,ch 'hes
were large quantities in the depot and on the soe'
was coasigned many different parties that soGa
time must eepse before proper estimate o. u. Faae
can be made \ considera lie qnautty of leatger ana
cotton was among the freight. The loss by tic burning
depot and contents viii not, IL Is be-
leyed fall short Of ssO0OoO and may reach :o1lC0.
A dispatch from NewYork Informs rs that tue steamer
and her fittings we're Insured for about s-ooo Tie
loss 20 the Providence ara Stonington aud kcilGoad
Company the depot. ears, and OtDer property vii
amount TO from $1,000 70 $4,000 on which tes
have 10 Insurance. There was large ar0ani Of
bony fish oil on u dock whicl lad been sold bF Cot
Hubbard and l.. B. Morgan. 70 J. q. Nickegso. Co.
Of Boston THIS (sone 10 barrels u a.D was uoye
The loss on OIL it is thought. viii reach nea-H s3ep
: on whlc, there was 10 insurance.
The Commonwealth was launched twelve yelTs SEQ
last Sp-inS She was bg., ~ Hreenpeinf, iOr bs
! Norwich and New-London Steamboat Company. "a
corporation which nj tha, t'ne owned and ran re
- boats in connection with the Norwich ard WcH
! cester road. between this city and New loIs: Her
:s4QU but she could not be replaced 20. less
than $4,000 She was one q, The stannchest ali mcst
ca O.eous DOats that tue sound, and was ca ad
IN Size and elegance by only one tho Meropois CAPT.
j. W. Williams has COMMANDED her, Gnt samuel
Carter has been chief engineer on her ever snee her
iTst "trip. Both these officers are citizens of Norwich
in the FALL OF lSjs she Vas sold 70 the New Jersey
Transportation COMPANY owners OF the ropes
Line" and was Immediately placed on tie >onns'or-
aftcrward GrOon line. snort TINE AGO. u ne con-
sodatiOn Of various steamboat ard railroad interests
she was sold with the Commodore and Pymoc'h loc.,
70 the Merchants transportation Company .; k,n' %
dencc q CORPORATION organized by unt'g oe Aer.
chants and Nopfnne lire q! steamers. Ibe present
owners pcid tor tue three steamers named so ~ "
was their Intention. ~ tte coarse o. leN N'5As
remove The terminus o. the line non 6.oon To son;
ngton They were only awaiting tAc complexion u
new docks aSd depot StOulngton 10 MAKE tLe uel~
Ter. This disaster viii OF cUgrse hasten me chai:e
and he boats after this week wiz nroosov ran -
tween Ston.neion and NeT.Yc,k, abanaoDag ne
Gro;on terminus entirely.
Dickinson Ripley who is believed 70 have perslcl
In tie danes OF the steamer. son 81 ne a'e
George b. Ripley of this c..y. and nepLes Of GOV.
buckingham. He served duT.H- the WAY o. hospha-
steward Of the 18th &. V. and was mustered on'
with the regiment iist Sumner. Since then ne rs.
been engaged IN the study Of medicine in iAe CliI
NewY0rk. He was coming home on holiday llM
to hs friends. and being intimate friend ~ tslI
Williams of the Commonwealth, took passage WIZ n'M.
20 Groton. intending 10 cross over 10 New Lolloh
Friday morning. aud take The early morning .rsaIH
Norwich. On tie passage TO Grot,n he remained w
until after midnight, and pared from capt. Wl1m.s
10 go his roon just after the train LEFT for Boston W.
is probable that he fell into sound sleep, and without
beng awakened by the noise. was suiocated Dy 'so
smoke which filed the stae.ro0m hall soon as tls
ire struck the boat. Nothing or heard ~ nm
the boat dock, aud it is presumed that be Cedo
snfiocation. without having made effort - cseaIe'
He WAS young man Of promise, ana had ne nVed'
would have adorned the profession OF his choice.
s..s.ses~s.s.rs.z.s.sN