Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-03
United firemen's Insurance Company, Phila-

%, 500.
| CAPT. TAYLoR's PROMPT Acrios.
1t 10 the universal opinion Of those along the
wharves that had it not been for the prompt
and intelligent action Of Capt Taylor of the
DIN Key the entire shipping along the wharves
would have been destroyed, for the flames on
| the Corcoran were most fierce. He probably
| saved over quar- ter Of million dollars worth
OF property, both in steamers and in wharves
and ware houses and their contents
The Macallister is valued ct S120, 900, the
Leary at SIS 900 and the Wakefield at S55 600.
This makes total in these three steamers alone
OF Z goo, and the Tygert was near, and there
were other steamers close by that might have
been damaged or destroyed. The wharves
being old and dry, would have burned like
| finder, and there Is no knowing where the
flames might have spread had the burning boat
| peen allowed to remain where she caught five
minutes longer.
NEED OF FIRE BOAT.
The lack Of a fire boat ON the river was sadly
felt. The necessity Of saving the other prop
erty demanded that the Corcoran be cut loose
from the shore, and thus she was placed out Of
| the reach OF the hose lines from the wharf.
Had there been a FIRE boat it would have been
quite possible for the fremen to have put
stream upon the burning craft within ten
minutes Of the alarm, and thus there might
have been something of her saved Valuable
the hose out to the steamer by
means Of the Blackburn that would have been
avoided had there been q small tug fitted with
| thrown water upon the flames a. soon as the
boat drifted clear of the wharves. The pluck
and skill with which Capt. Taylor put his tug
| close to the steamer shows what might have
| been done with a fire boat. The accident may
| not be without its good results
| 1n0r0 are many opinions n to whether nj mt
there was a mistake made by the watchman on
| the Gerry wharf in cutting the Corcoran loose,
but the general idea seems to be that he saved
me me rest OF the steamers by SO doing, It was
have been done, for the flames were raging
furiously when the boat began to drift
ihey seemed to create strong draft
| in the immediate locality Of the steamer,
whereas before the air was quite still and the
wood on the wharf of the ferry company was
beginning to smoke when the steamer hoated
of. The rapidity with which the Manchester
ana the ieary caught on fire from . mere
touch OF the Corcoran shows what might have
DID, asaRp'n'd had not the "A'"hmAn done as he
There were several fire engines at the
wharves ready to do all that could be done, and
hremen were somewhat inclined to grumble
at the boats having been cut loose. They had
good deal to do in keeping an eye. to the
Leary, which was still smoking when they ar
| rived. By O'Clock ell # the steamers had
gone back to their houses but No. 4, which still
pumped on the wharf of the Norfolk boat,
throwing water out to the Corcorsp.
CROWDS AT THE WHARF.
! People went down to the wharf all day long
| to see the wreck, and the river was lined with
| forms until the evening. The Manchester went
| down on her regular trip at the usual time and
| the boat careened far over to one side as she
passed the wreck and the passengers, Of whom
hnTnr rpd Inv Al
poor old steamer as she lay in her grave
The steamer Washington of the Norfolk line
came into the slip just after the Corcoran had
been taken away from the Leary. She was in
| the stream for some time, waiting for a chance
| to get to her wharf but she could render no
Der Of passengers on board, and it would have
| been q useless exposure Of their lives.
The Leary was to have gone down the river
today on an excursion for the benefit Of her
officers. Tickets were out for the occasion and
a good deal OF enjoyment was anticipated. The
| excursion has, OF course, been postponed and
will take place next Monday.
THE MAcALEsTER WILL RUN RIGHT ALONG.
The Manchester would have been taken off
| from her regular work in about fortnight for
few days, SO as to be painted and otherwise
overhauled, and Pilot Ross had applied for q
| leave OF absence during that period. the first
vacation he has taken during the active season
for twelve years He had written to his friends in
the north that they might expect him, and he
was gaiiv anticipating q good rest. The burn
| Ing OF the Corcoran will prevent his going, as
| there is now nothing that can be done to
relieve the Manchester while she il being put in
order. She will have to run through the sum-
mer and fall.
The present season has been the heaviest that
the Marshall Hall and Mt. Vernon Company
| has ever had, and the prospects are that next
year Will be quite as heavy, and probably more
| 3d. 1t was found necessary two seasons ago to
put a larger boat than the Corcoran on the run
| and then the Manchester was built. In this
view Of the situation, therefore, it Is thought
today, in the first glance at the case, that the
Corcoran will be replaced by another boat
next year. In fact it can be predicted that she
will be represented by q new steamer in less
than twelve months, either under the same
name or another.
TWO JUMPED FROM THE BOAT.
There were but two people who jumped from
| the burning boat-William johnson, the deck
hand and Robert Grantley, the bootblack.
Johnson was a good swimmer and easily
reached the shore. The boy could not swim,
and he held back from the leap as long as he
dared. The flames were pretty near him when
he went over. He was taken out Of the water all
punched up, as if he had died in agony, but was
Strengthened out by the men who found his
body, and his little form was carefully covered
with piece Of canvas and a gunny sack until
the arrival of the patrol wagon. There was a
scar upon one cheek where the graphing hooks
had torn the flesh, but beyond this there were
no other bruises. 1t is not known whether or
not there will be an inquest.
The body was caught twice by the hooks be-
fore it was finally brought to the surface Mr.
Grantley, the father OF the boy, arrived during
the process of dragging. and was on the wharf
when the body was brought to the shore. He
was severely shocked by the death of the little
fellow. The boy looked to be about ten years
old. but one of his companions told STAR re-
porter that Robert had just few days ago told
him that he was sixteen. He had been run
ming up and down on the COrcoran as q boot
black ever since the schools closed.
Deck Mate Stuart's Story. -
8. J. Stuart, deck mate Of the Inflated
steamer, was asleep in his room over the bar
when the fire broke out He left his room
about o'clock and went down to the lower
deck for glass of water. There was no fire
about the boat at that time. He returned to
his room and again retired.
II was awakened" he said, "by the smell of
smoke, and, looking out the window, saw
smoke issuing from o window. / left nv
room and went out, when disco vered that the
boat was burning. Going by Capt. Bells room
1 aroused him. and he told me to call the crew.
did 80 and the 6remen soon appeared on deck
An attempt was made to get the hose in opera
ton, but soon saw the blaze coming through
the grating over the boiler room and knew
that the small hose could not extinguish the