The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-09-18
FIRE IN THE NAVY YARD.
THE ENGINES OF THE CRUISER GIN.
CTyNATI IN THE RUINS.
widely Varying Estimates OF the Damage
Made by Different Exrerts-The navy
Ynrd,a Fire Irignde for NlEht Duty.

Made by Different Experts-The Navy
Yards Fire brigade for Night Duty.
There was n fire In the Brooklyn Navy Yard
early yesterday morning. From o spectacuiar
point OF view at the time 1t was In progress
and from the appearance OF the wreck yester-
day afternoon 1t was q big fire. Its size from
the viewpoint Of financial loss and expensive
delays to work that was under way Is a aues-
ton about which there is q wide variety OF ex-
pert opinion in the Navy Yard. and when
seems to be largely o matter Of conjecture.
Yesterday afternoon the official experts
were about agreed that when the extent OF the
damage could be properly figured down 1t
would not am ountt to over Soo.OOO. The unoi-
fetal experts placed tho figure at anywhere
from that amount to 100000. Tho damage
was almost wholly to machinery. and 1t Will
require a thoropeh testing OF everything In
the buildings burned over to properly hscer-
tain the actual damage The principal thing
to be ascertained Is how much damage was
dono to the new cruiser Cincinnatrs 100000
engines. around which the fire played most.
and which look ed to be pretty badly wrecked.
The fire started about 3 o'clock yesterday
morning in the erecting shop. a three-story
frame building recently erected rs an extern
sion at the extreme east end OF tho big ma
chine shops of tho steam engineering depart
ment for tho purpose of housing the engines
Of the now cruisers Raleigh and Cincinnati.
The engines or tho two cruisers were set
up in this extension n couple OF weeks ago
for trial. Last Thursday both were tried.
The test was a complete success. and tho Ra-
leigh's engines were taken down and shipped
to the Norfolk Navy Yard. The Cincinnatis
Engines were loft there, tho purpose being to
have them running at the time tho cruiser
was launched from the yard. so that visitors
at the launching could see engines rs well as
hull. The cruiser was to DO launched in q
week or 30.
The police force and Are patrol for the Navy
Yard consist OF one man. Roundsman Thomas
EEstrange. and he discovered the lire about
the same time that Corporal Fleming. who
was on guard at the Cumberland street gate.
did, both starting an alarm together.
The Navy Yard has what Is said to be n large
and efficient fire brigade. That is. it has dur
ing the day. but the brigade goes home at q
o'clock every night. 1t Is composed OF the
regular employees, who are each assigned TO
a certain duty In case of flre-in the daytime.
iom. engineer, and Charles Meyer. frcman:
with tho ro~umdsmnn to help IN case Of great
a larger Are brigade for night duty, but since
economy has been the watchworu IN tne yard
th e. have been ;s ih no o s%ye1 man on nrS %ateh a Tor
thieves and fire between i A. Nj, and 8 A. Nj:
The yard has two fire engines. but they are OF
Tbs hre brigade hustled out yesterday morn
ing and got an engine. to the scene Of the fire:
Then they went back for the hose. Coal was
brought ut u later stage. and the attack on 1.-THE
Are began. Capt Kelton Of the Marine Barracks
n hurry. He reused out the buGler. the fire
alarm cal! was sounded. and in Il. few minutes
and thu sa Tors running from the Vermont aud
atlanta; 4 rar rIy,9 OF s whi"5 t ,r"m 5te oY i,a' tho
Columbus statue. also turned out,
bucket brigade was formed. the fire en-
CINE got a stream directed at the fire. and then
sitY Fire Depnrtncnt. BY this time the fire
was blazing at a lively rate. and i looked to
vase ysrd T Was inc sbla Dzs.sS The. as wood t%Sps u the h
shops was we'll soaked with oil:
day that when the Are engines Of the city de-
pa,tmesnt , ARMED a5nf t at the FIT f. o gats tH wer sst tbay
bet sasn is i. N. and 9 (. Il: Ae ira no AS:
ere ]o}ies. p st *. o apa end end t q theI var, op aS sefore
Tie Ike G tiremsn a. could b. admitted. The story
could only BE- partly confirmed. There was
]cc aa I Fam and If ~ $:45 o ScE It was out
smoke blackened in the ruins. When tho ire
and tho flames sucked through tho long
sSdp WAS + Y2 th ieea fon e i by &c Vide i and a So 6isis:
The, machine, shop Is a thrcs;st2ry brick
and stone building. with a iott. 500 Ieet long
Ety. ey 90 an wId Was Il o %ss 81 ''t The T best f ftied s %sGs'H IN
tthss country, There were several miles q
The loss being about $1,000 on that. The
machinery was scorched and blackened and
rusted. and men were busily at work yester-
M Master MIschiniist Howatt; who had charge
edu la t sse1pii e sh'9 ,h ysS maehin e%y' was se ' but ii iitt to
damaged. 1t was r,usted. but no did not think
py.,rl, an fha naphipaG did NOT QnrnQ with
Howatt. they believed that much OF it was
ruined. 1t will take time to accurately decide;
patterns were stored in the loft; Many q the
patterns were burned or warped out OF shape.
terms destroyed were obsolete designs. The
newer patterns were scarcely touched: The
workmen had various stories about the
All. the drawings for the Cincinnati and
RR% ps e v wsre ca s1S1sd N d ies s,ssdtinE Eut shSHr NJ.
Hare says there are duplicates In the Bureau
Of steam Engineering at Washington: De:
IA years destroyed. This is . total loss.
ManY n q, thf fS wSTs%ese5 HlsR 'S woS Sirdiue eoE.! !o9 the
damage IL, his department
he could tell yesterday. the only damage to the
Cincinnntis engines was to the two condens-
eFs rh and d to on ,hS loTTi bsss Wsrs s cSaaksj Of Of the h",
sSId wate s:'"Tf1Ss oS Ss %iiI pr "da tTsH have HS" 70 be V" en-
TtIY eHlntF V - iNo AAAo "
ristcd. but he did not think that they were
warped. They will have to Le taken all apart
and each piece tested before the exact damage
can be ascertained.. As they stood the brunt
Of the Nre it is n9t likely that they escanoI Sc,
unoficiniiy. said the engines were probably
damaged from $4,000 to Sloo ooo.
day, ijo had telegraphed to Washington. 1t
was said. that tho damage was about $4,000.
No official figures could DO obtained; but tho
portments affected put the loss Mt between
$4,000 and $4,000 at tho outside. An In
vcstigation will be made and correct figures
announced later. There was no clue yester-
day to tho origin Of the fire.
completion Of tho Cincinnati. The engines
we're ahead q the other work fiiaann and they Will be
The launchinc will not be delayed. Tho en-.
gines are twin, screw. vertical triple expan-
sion, Of 10000 horse power. At tho test they
were pronounced to DO exceptionally fine
pieces Of work.