The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-14
THE FLYER BURNED.
Fastest Steamer on the Sound
Becomes a Ruin.
A GRAND SIGHT IN THE HARBoR.
All Her Upper and Interior Works De-
ttroyed-Damagc $4,000 to $780,
O0O-Fireboat's Slow Work.

n moment aIIeT the iidu bcth
turned in blazes broke forth from all
parts of the boat and, as they leaped
skyward, the whole harbor was lighted
up with lurid glare. Every ship in the
harbor could be seen. The United States
warships stood boldly out against the red
shadows and their decks were filled with
hundreds of sailors.
The fire was discovered by one Of
part of i've who were engaged in loading
wood into the hold. He saw the flames
bursting out in big sheets from the ven-
tilators and gave the alarm to the night
Waterman. The latter aroused the mate,
steward and crew, while the former ran
over and notified the officers of the fire
boat that lay tied up to the slip at Madi-
son street.
The mate and crew had little time to
put on clothing, for the flames were max
ing quick Roadway, and in the five mill
utes after the discovery of the fire the
whole steamboat was wrapped In flames.
First Mate Nixon had narrow escape
from being roasted alive, his bunk being
cut off from safety by the flames. lie was
awakened by one of tho men beating in
his door and made his way out half-dressed
and was nearly suffocated by smoke when
he reached fresh air.
Within five minutes after the first alarm
had been sounded the whole department
was at the scene of action. and under COM
mand of Chief Gardner Kellogg begun its
work of battling the flames.
Stream after stream was thrown against
the stubborn fire and gradually the de-
structive element was put under control,
and in thirty minutes the fire was out.
Meanwhile the tireboat was practically
useless. As soon as the fire was discov-
cred one of the men ran across the wharf
to where she lay, at the Madison street
slip, and gave the alarm. A line of hose,
loo feet in length. could have been run
across the wharf to the burning steamer.
but there was no attempt to do this.
With only one reel of hose on
board the freboat pulled out from
the slip. She Unanswered about for some
time ana it was at least ten minutes be-
fore she had stream on the fire All the
land engines were playing on the flames
before that time. When there did come
stream from the fireboat one man was try
Ing to direct a swivel nozzle on the sea-
side of the Flyer while the fireboat was
moving about. thus rendering accuracy of
aim impossible.
The docks and wharves of the neighbor-
hood were crowded with thousands of GU
rious spectators. who, in their eagerness
to see all that was to be seen. often inter-
fered with the speed of the firemen in di-
recting and shifting the hose.
The damage to the boat appears to be
mainly to the cabin, although the hold
has been damaged to a considerable extent
also. She is left, however. in such a con-
dition that she can be rebuilt at compare
lively small cost.
The Flyer is heavily insured, but in what
companies it was impossible to learn dur
ing the excitement attendant on the fire.
The crew consists of captain. mate,
two engineers, four firemen and five deck
hands. In addition to these there were
about eight other employees who lived on
the boat
There were . number Of theories regard
ing the origin of the fire. 1t was gener-
ally supposed, however, to have begun in
the cotton waste in the engine room,
and quickly communicated itself to
the woodwork, which was very dry and
highly inllammable.
1t is almost impossible to estimate the
damage. Steamboat men who witnessed
the fire placed the loss ut sums
ranging from five thousand to twenty
thousand dollars. The elegant interior
furnishings cost a great deal of money.
The machinery is doubtless damaged and
the whole upper works win have to be re-
built. so the larger estimate does not seem
unreasonable.
The Flyer was designed by Captain e. B.
Scott. president of the Columbia River 81
Puget Sound Navigation Company. and
was built under his superintendence in
Iohnson's ship yard AT Portland. She ran
between Seattle and Tacoma IN connection.
with the Bailey Gatzert and Fleetwood.
which are owned by tho same company.
She was built 10 he the speediest boat on
the Sound, and il was thought she would
make TWENTY-FIVE miles an hour. They
were disappointed about that. however.
for although she is without doubt ahead
Of anything on the Sound. she has never
attained that speed.
On October Is last she arrived in the hsr-
Dor from Portland. When she steamed
into the bay she Was given 8 royal recep-
ton by all Of the steamers along the
wharves. TIE boat caused a great deal Of
excitement in local maritime circles. for
il was given out that her presence
on the Sound would make new
era in steamboating and all
of the oid-time favortes would become
back Numbers. Her claims 70 champion
ship were not disputed Al first, but after
she had been on the Sound about two
months the Victorian. the Union Pacific's
magnificent steamer built hy Captain
James ". Troup. threw down the gauat-
let and won from the FLYER one of
the most exciting steamboat races on the
Coast. Ai;er that the boats had severa.
races, first one steamer winning and then
the ether. Finally the Victorian was
taken back TO Portland and thus the aues-
tlon Of which WAS the snerlier vessel has
never been satisfactorily settled.
The Flyer was q twin screw proneiler.
i76 feet long, twen;y-l0e feet beam, and
drew about thirteen feet Of water. Her
registered ne; tonnage WAS 80 tons. Her
engines were Of @.e0 horSe-p power. trjt,Ie
condeasing, Of the latest improved make
with Il, Soand 54-lnch cylinders and 2lin>b
stroke. Her boiler was fthe o-.i mary t,,l,,,-
lar make. twenty-nfne feet long and ninety.
six inches in diameter. IL was made ~,
steel. 6o-i0o Of an inch thick and tested a,
a40 pounds pressure. She was n.
lowed 20 carry l6l pounds Of steam,
She was supplied with m indie
pendent pump. m ;njepeudent feed
uufnp, an independent c}rculstor. arf q,
DYNAMO which Generated electricity for
lighting the entire boat. The machinery
was al enclosed, and the balance Of the
main deck, ali but a smali portion OF tie
forward end FOR freight. as Fitted N fo- q
social hall, with toilet rooms forward and
at AT in the hold Was the gale 4,