The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-08-15
RAPID TRANSIT FIRE.
A Steamers Cargo of Lime
Burns i'm the Harbor.
THE FlREBoAT TO THE RESCUE.
The Rapid Transit's Cargo Takes Fire
as She Leaves the Wharf-Loss
$4,000 Chiefly Insured.

VI SHSAf bOdt III the 0aTDOr SOunQeQ the alarm
| OF Hre about OILS O'Clock last night and called
| out the fire department, as we'll as the inevitable
crowd which always rushes TO see a blaze. A
great column OF flame from near the coal
ounkers was the guide TO the scene, and lighted
the sky and water with its bright glare
| The blaze came from the new steamer Rapid
| transit just as she pulling out from the
wharf to 20 to Tacoma with the balance of her
cargo, 1900 barrels OF lime and ten tons of oats.
Before the fire could be gotten under control the
whole house was destroyed. and the stern was
almost burned through to the water. The fire
originated in the hold near the boiler, and was
caused by the shaking of the lime by water in
the hold
The Rapid Transit came in early in the even.
| ing from Roche Harbor with $500 barrels of
| lime, and discharged 800 barrels at Baxtcr's
| wharf for Carkeek & Nichols. She then took
on ten tons of oats for Baxter & Co., to be taken
to Tacoma. where she was going with the re-
| manner of the lime for the Tacoma Trad
| Ing Company She had pulled out but short
| distance from the wharf when ii was discovered
that she was on fire, and Captain II. NJ Hughes
ran her up alongside the bunkers at
| the foot of King street. By the time
she reached the bunkers the flames
had come up through her house and all the
| boats in the harbor began blowing their whistles
| to give the alarm. Officer Powers turned In an
| alarm from box ~ and inside of three minutes
| steam engine No. was on the ground and took
her position ut the Jackson street slip. A line
OF hose was run from the fire plug at the corner
| OF Railroad avenue and Jackson street. and a
saltwater stream was turned on, but the boat
was so far away from the wharf that the stream
| was not as effective it otherwise would have
! been
The freboat Snoqualmie was a little late in
starting. as the alarm in the electrical room on
| the dock did not sound at all and the blaze was
not easily located Captain McAlep finally
started out without an alarm and the steamer
| glded into the bay, where she circled about
several ocean vessels and steamers, among them
the steamship Islander, which had just arrived
| in port with party OF Victoria excursionsts.
| Within ten minutes from leaving her wharf she
arrived alongside the coal bunkers. BY that
| time the Rapid Transit was a sheet of flame
amidships and the great crowds on
| the surrounding docks continued to
| increase in number each moment Engine No.
| had produced little effect on the fire, and the
| flames continued to leap upward until the Sno-
| qualmie made fast alongside and turned giant
! head of water on the fire. Immediately the red
/ flames gave way to clouds of white steam, and
| the crowds on the bunkers and neighboring
wharves sent up hearty cheers.
The Rapid Transit was simply deluged with
| water, and in short time she sank almost to
| the waters edge. only few inches of her deck,
| little below the guard rail, being above water.
| The flames sprang out afresh again and again,
| but the Snoquslmies crew, with the assistance
| of engine company No. g. soon gained the upper
| hand. The crowds were enthusiastic and
| cheered the firemen each time the flames were
| controlled.
The Islanders captain ran his steamship in
the slip alongside the coal bunkers until her
high iron bows were but a few yards from the
burning boat The excursionists were thus
corded an excellent view of the burning craft.
Some of the more facetious members of the ex-
cursion party strung line OF hose over the
steamships bows and a small stream was thrown
at the fire, but dropped in the slip several feet
short.
A dozen or more firemcn jumped on board the
Rapid Transit and commenced throwing over
board barrels Of lime from around the burning
engine-room amidships.
After the flames in the pilot-h house had been
gotten under control the burning steamer was
crowded over TO the lower side of the Jackson
street slip ny the freboat and tied up. The
fremen, assisted by number of longshoremen,
threw the sacks OF oats from the forward end on
the wharf, and saved them all. 1t was i'm
possible to do anything with the barrels of
lime except to roll a few of them overheard.
Many of them had burst open and the space on
top of and among the barrels piled on deck was
huge mortar bed, while the cracking in the
hold and the steam which rose from it
indicated that it was in similar state. So much
water was poured in through the hose lines that
the barge gradually sank over two feet until the
water was not more than eight inches from the
deck at the bow. The stern, which was thrown
in shore, was aground. After it had been found
that the greater portion OF the lime could not be
handled, the great stream from the fireboat was
turned on it, Such of the barrels as could not
BE- burst by il were cut open with an ak. In this
way the lime was either washed away or evap-
Grated.
One member OF the crew had just gone to bed
when the fire broke out, aud when he discovered
II the flames were so close that ne did not have
time TO gather up anything belonging to him
except the clothes he had just taken OFF. The
other members of the crew saved nearly all their
personal effects. Cameron, the cook, who had
only few hours before laid in a stock of clothes
at an expense of about $50. lost them ALL
Some of the firemen were in a email boat with
one Of the lines from the shore, when one of the
streams from the Snoqualmie struck them.
The boat shot back as if hit by a oattering ram,
causing general upsetting of her occupants
and much mcrrment on the shore.
Much trouble was experienced in swinging the
burning coat up 10 the wharf, so that the fire in
the hold could be attacked successfully Many
barrels OF lime were thrown overheard and
hoated around Sizing and steaming in the
water. One OF the tiremen got mixed up in a
cloud OF steam ana lime, which set him to
coughing aud suffering violently.
Captain Hughes saved a length of ten-inch
hose, which caught fire, by throwing it over
board in the water between the coal bunkers
and the Jackson street slip. 1t was valued at
$50.
The Rapid Transit is a twin-screw propeller
owned by Frank Mcdonald James McIver W
F. PettibOne and - Reddeld. The coupany
is known as the Rapid Transit Company and the
managers office is in Whatcom. The boat is 50
feet beam aud 10 feet long. with registered net
tonnage of $50 tons. The hull was built al Had
lock last winter and brought TO Seattle where
her machinery was put in and her house built
About three months ago she made her first trip
and has since been running Il freighter on the
sound, carrying lime ana stone chiefly She
cost about $4,000.
just how badly the framework of the boat is
burned in the hold could not be seen last night,
and therefore the damage TO the boat could not
be closely estimated. The framework of the en-
Cine-room and pilot house is badly charred and
also battered by the heavy stream OF water from
the fireboat. Captain Hughes is of the opinion
that the interior woodwork is so badly damaged
that II will have TO be entirely replaced. he es-
Inmates the damage to machinery and wood
work at 5000. The damage to the cargo of lime
is about 5000, il being total loss.
A srecial telegram from Tacoma TO the Posi-
IxrELLIGESCEa states that ". F. Pettibone. one
OF the owners. stated that the boat insured
for $1,000 with the sun Insurance Company, of
San Francisco, and that, IL not too badly DAM
aged, she will be repaired. The insurance on
the cargo could not be learned.
To prevent further damage 70 the boat the
work of getting rio Of the lime was commenced
The hose from the freboat brought up on
the wharf by the side of the boat, and the stream
nut on. The deluge of water that followed threw
the stray slaves, hoops and leose Line in al