The daily gazette., 1877-08-06
FIRST EDITION!
A SUNDAY FIRE.
DREIN's BOAT HOUSE BuRNED-A
DWELLING DAMAGED,

DWELLING DAMAGED,
Between 1870 and o'clock, Yesterday
afternoon fire was discovered in the
mandatory of Thomas Drein g. Son,
boat builders, on Tatnall street, below
Water. The alarm was quickly sounded
and soon the entire fire department of the
city was on the ground and in SER
vice.
The building in which Messrs. Drein
u Son conducted their business was an
old frame structure and as soon as the
flames secured good headway they made
rapid work with the dry and we'll season.
ed timbers. The engines soon had copi-
GUS streams of water upon the fire, but it
was impossible to do more than prevent
the flames from spreading any further.
The surrounding property comprised an
old frame dwelling in front, a saw mill
in the rear, and lumber yard on each
side. When this fact is considered it will
be seen how good work was accom-
plished by the fire department in keeping
the fire almost exclusively confined
to the building in which it originated.
In short time after the alarm was
sounded the boat house was completely
enveloped in flames, and its destruction
was soon accomplished. The contents,
consisting of tools, timber, iron. and a
new yacht. just completed were also de-
stroyed. The yacht was being construct
ed for Manlove Hayes, Esq, of Dover,
and would have been sent down to his
cottage at Rehoboth City in a few days.
The shop was entirely gutted, and it will
be several days before Messrs. Drein &
Son will be able to resume operations
Fortunately the six government life
boats which they recently finished, were
| lying outside Of the shop, and escaped in
jury.
The fire also communicated to the large
two story and half frame dwelling in
front of the boat house, and burned the
roof nearly all off, besides burning out
the rear wall. But the tiremen, by their
well directed streams of water succeeded
in extinguishing the flames, though the
house was completely flooded. 1t was
occupied by the families of Milton Burris
Daniel White, Andrew Ross, Mary Free
man, Lizzie Conway and Rachel Kelley,
all colored, but the occupants succeeded in
escaping with their effects though one Of
women declared that the flames singed
her hair before she escaped with the last
of her goods. Last evening the families
all removed to the vicinity of Ninth and
Kirkwood streets.
The loss by the fire cannot be exactly
ascertained. That of Messrs. Drein &
Son, will be inside of $1,000, and if a
quantity of galvanized iron that was dam
aged can be regalvanized, their loss will
not exceed $500. They are fully insured
i'll the Niagara Company, of New York
and the Shawmut, of Boston. The boat
house building and the dwelling house
belong to the Simmons estate, though
they are leased by Messrs. w. Il. q Ii.
Cause. The loss on both buildings will
not exceed 81, 900 which is covered by in
surance in the Farmers Mutual. of this
city. On account of the delapidated
condition Of the dwelling it is doubtful il
it will be repaired, and the boat house it
is altogether likely, will not be rebuilt,aS
Messrs. Drein u Son are having a large
brick building erected at the n. w. cor
of Water and Tatnall streets,in which
they propose to carry on business.
The fire was supposed to have beer
the work of an incendiary, as it orignat-
ed in the same place where an attempt
was made 10 fire the building on Friday
night.
During the fire the fire ropes were spreat
for the first time, and by the active eXer
tions of officers Bernhardt and McIlhen-
ny, the crowd was kept aside, thus giyin!
the tiremen plenty Of working room.