Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1888-10-04
TIE JuNrAr4 RnRNrn.
Tho Old Steamboat Consumed by
Fire at Pennsgr0ve.

Fire at Pemmsgr0ve.
The old sidewheel steamboat Juuiata
which has been plying between this city
and Pennsgrove for the past season was
burned TO the water's edge and sunk at
Pennsgrove early last Thursday. She ia q
total loss, which is not very heavy, but the
crew of nine people aboard barely
escaped with their lives. The fire was
discovered about midnight and started on
the starboard side of the lower deck near
the stairway leading to the upper deck.
The fire started above the kitchen stove
as near as can be ascertainsd although no
one believes that II originated from the
stove.
II ia generally believed that the FIRE
was of incendiary origin, as the odor of
kerosene was very apparent during the
fire. The whole staEboard aide Of the
vessel was ablaze when the crew was
aroused. Some Of the men Appeared on
the wharf barefooted and half-dreseed,
although deck hand on the Anna and
Mary, the opposition boat, said that the
men were in no Immediate danger. The
Juniata Of the time Of tue fire was lying
on the lower eide of the pier, with
the port side sgainat the pier, while
the opposition boat, Anna and Mary, was
lying on the other side of the pier. There
were o. leep on the Juniata Captain
McIntire, Mate Charles Ewing, Purser
Williem D. ok ,ae, Cook Samuel Robin
son, 2 ,ineSr Harry Maxwell, Fireman
Willa-n ucVey Of Wilmington, George
Gricson deck hand, another deck hand
ind eapin boy.
McVey, who returned to Wilmington
IN Thursday, said: "We were all asleep
il. the cabins on the upper dock when we
re a. oused ty YatJ Ewing. All jumped
)1t Of bed Es quickly as plssible and got
c-hore. SornI were half dressed and
bafefooted and every one Of us lost all
our clothing but what We wore, except
Mate Ewing, Sho threw one OF his
trunks on tie wharf. We could do moth
ing to sRve the. boat, as we had no
means at haud with which to extinguiah
,he firo. The Anna and INy tried 10
pull her away from the wharf hES the
Ju9lsta wss then stuck fast. The tugs
Lille Cooper and Ben Hooley steamed
up there but did not try to extinguish
I'll. fro on account of tte danger. The
Jnlitts burn,d dVwH t. the waters edge
and burned scrle i les In h3r hull when
al. sank this morning about 6 80 o'clock.
ehe Was still burning Y han ehe sunE.
1h. uha-f aLo cg., gLt afire aud was
badly mayed"
g ? ~ Blaze, til owner OF the boSs,
knew 20 hi, e ~ her fits until her leag
delay 10 rcaehibg hsrs that morning in
ducea hiT & go TO I or lsgrove n the tug
fiut II, which also took over what pas-
sepgers were waiting fyr the Juiists.
The Juniata vas ono Of the oldest YES
sol7 known in these Uaters, having been
bI'lt in 184S, although she was rebuilt q
few years ago. She was about 105 feei
long, and could carry 400 passengers.
she was an old craft and an ungsfe boat
in stormy weather She was originally
used in towing tn OheaapeRke bay, and
after some further waudsrings was
finally purchased by the late Captain
Taggart Of Philadelphia. Her last regu.
lar rout1 before coming here was between
Philsd- lphis and Bridgeton. Captain
TagPe.s it Is aaid, valuet. her at 81 900,
although after Lis death the heirs, in
order Il settle no Che estate, sold he4 at
public sale f.r $750, os 3sain Blake being
the purchase. Hc had her oYerhauled,
and put her on the route between tbs
city al P-a-ssrove.
She i shousht to have Gonc pretty we'll
this season. The loss on tie vessel can
net be estimated, as IL is difficuIt tc tAll
her market value. but she ia said to hnvo
been insured for 81, 600. This could not
be verified. The damage to the wharf Il
estimated at $500.
There are some ugly rumoFs flying
about in reference TO the affair, end all
Kinds of chnrges are being minated in q
sly way. Tho ha ada on tha Junista say
that kercsepa was usel in setting the
boat AFR, anu several of them aver that
when she uns the aoor OF t',o ircp safe
flew open, lhoWipg thFt 1t wa not licked.
fhis safe Is said 60 hive con 2in,d some
valuable papers and several hundred dol
lars In Inpne-. Penpsgrove people arc
all mysterious when queai;one1 sbout the
sffsir.
The Taurus returned 70 this city about
10 O'Clock with McVey, ihe fEoman OF the
Juniata ahoarG. pae Anna a2d Haty mr.
rived shortly aftecRard and is running ag
uBual.
Although the steslne' Junlata IS burned
end IN >, her ghcst L'ill rcmains In tne
~ m y lawsuit, vi ch is d1s at the
NrJember term OF tho superior court. 1Ae
Id ftAf mer did fairly prosperous husin 81
~
charge Of the vessel and managed the busi-
ness. Considerable freight was carried and
hundreds OF passengers, ana her weekly
receipts. 1t was reported, often amounted TO
$500 and NOR. At theea figures the vessel
would re able TO realize handsome returns
on the original Investment. Captain Bake
OF Phtadelphia, one OF the owners, repre-
scented the owners here. Things moved
along smoothly until few weeks
ago, when Captain Blake began to
demand q settlement OF tho season's busi.
ness from Captain Somers. Tho latter, on
one occasion, replied that no would settle
with Captain Blake IN Is minutes, II the
latter would come to Pannsgroye. Captain
BAKE did not 20 slf Kept dunning Soners
for settlement wnier ho d!d not get, Oa
Friday LAST, ho then 6ssshareed Csntstn
Somers and Purser Gsolys Kelley and
placed Captain MeIntifs In ,harfye' The
rupture between the two eaptss-s vyava1
hot and resulted In the suit ishisa will
come up at the November term, in vtseh
Captain Blake eeens to ba determined e.
force Captain Surners 70 effect some ssttle-
ment. DepuLy-sherlr FIRST served the sum.
mons on Somers In Pennsgrove yesterday.
Oaptain Somars, alter his discharge, was
instrumental in having the Anna and Mary
placed on tha limo batween this city and
Pennsgrovs In opposition TO the Juniata.
Captain Somere is popular and soon got
considerable business for the new boat, as
the management OF the Juniata was not en-
truckers. The burning of the Juuiatl
leaves the field free for the Anna and Mary
which 10 now carrying heavy shipments Of
Jersey truck.
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