Evening journal., 1888-12-31
BURNING OF THE BRISTOL
The Splendid Sound Steamer
Is Totally Destroyed.
FORTUNATELY NO LIVES LOST.
Arrival Mt rewport-nIost of the PAS
sengers Had Gone, but Some Were stin
Sleeping, and Escaped Half Clad.

Sleeping, and Escaped Half Clad.
NEWPORT, r. l., Dec. Sl.-The steamer
Bristol, OF the Fall River line, was found to
be on fire at G.eO a. m, and in a short time
was destroyed. No one was injured though
few Newport passengers who had remained
in their staterooms TO await a convenient
hour for rising had narrow escapes, and some
Of them lost all their clothing. All the bag
gage, however, was saved. The steamers
freight had also baon landed before the fire
broke ont. The Fall River and Boston pms.
sengers had oil departed, the last train leav.
ing just as the alarm was given.
The fire started near the kitchen, and
spread very rapidly The fire department
Of Newport, together with tho police force,
exerted themselves in every possible way I'd
check the flames, but the joiner work Of the
staterooms. saloon and stairwnys was as dry
as tinder, and draughts through the steamer
caused fearfully rapid spread Of the flames,
50 that before the fro department arrived
there was n mass Of fire sweeping her almost
from stem to stern.
Some Of the passengers still on board did
not understand the meaning Of the first
alarm and were only aroused by the crack
ing Of the flames near by. All succeeded IN
their clothing. One man with two little
children, who occupied stnteroom, was
awakened by the sound Of cracking flames,
and barely escaped with his little ones un
dressed, but with their clothing In their
hands.
Whom the department arrived the upper
decks and center Of the steamer were a mass
Of flames, which gave out such an intense
heat that ii could scarcely be bofne at dis
tance of several hundred feet This greatly
iinpeded the work of the firemen. The flames
had gained such headway that they could
only be fought from the wharf side, while
the great heat and flying sparks endangered
buildings on the docks and steamers lying on
either side of the wharf, and constant effort
was required on the part of the flremen tc
prevent them from igniting. A dozen stream
were soon pouring into the flames with little
apparent effect for over an hour, while Others
were employed in drenching tho dock and
buildings
A gang Of employees Of tho company was al
once put upon the steamer Pilgrim, which
was in the greatest danger, as she lay Ia th,
slip to the south OF the burning steamer, witt
her bow very near the Bristols side. Sh,
was speedily warped over TO the other side d
the slip and several streams from her owl
apparatus kept her constantly drenched. A
southerly wind also aided the iiremen, and
indeed, If the wind had been from the nortl
it is extremely doubtful il she could hav,
been moved in time TO save her from grea
damage.
In the slip on the north side lay the freight
steamer City Of New Bedford, which also hat
to be constantly kept drenched, and which
did take fire about noon, but the blaze wal
soon extinguished. II was an hour and 1
half after the department arrived befor,
their efforts made any appreciable differences
in the volume Of fro Shortly before {
o'clock, however, the flames were down SC
far as to permit few aremen to board th,
steamer and work from outside the guards oi
the lower and second decks, though In con
slant peril from falling timber and ma
chinery.
The Bristol was built twenty-five year
ago, at a cost OF nearly 81, 900. 900, to run I,
Bristol in opposition to the Fall River line
When Jim Fisk got control Of the Fall Rivei
line he bought the Bristol. The Bristol wa
insured for $450,O but her insurance wal
but $500, 600 which General Manager Kend
rick says win nearly cover the loss
The Bristol lies at the head of the wharf
sunk to her guards, with paddle boxes stand
ing and the inside burned out completely
Both smoke stacks are gone and both hos
frames burned. The bow of the boat 4
burned to the guards, while the flag star i
standing and the pcnnnnt still flying. Tn,
port side aft is burned to the guards but thl
starboard only TO the second deck. The walk
ing beam is standing, but has settled con
siderably. She lies with her starboard sidl
to the dock, and is nearly below the level o.
the wharf