Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1894-08-30
STEAMER BURNED,
HOW the Fire Occurred Nobody
Seems to Know, and q Couple
of Deck Hands Have Narrow
Escape With Their Lives.

OF DECK Hands Have q Mario w
Escape With heir Lives.
The steamer "Geo. Law" will not
make the regular trips to. Philadelphia
this week. In fact she will never
make another trip, for the handsone 9
steamer went up in flames and smoke
early Monday morning.
1t was just ten minutes of two
O'Clock when the sky was lighted up
with glaring red; an officer seeing it,
hurriedly turned In an alarm from the
corner of Commerce and Laurel Sts.,
No. 25. Immediately the department
responded and when the steamboat
wharf was reached, it was found that
the steamer was a floating mass of
flames.
The light, tinder-like material of the
steamer was an easy prey for the fire
and the boat was wrapped in fire from
stem to stern. About the time the de-
partment reached the steamer, the
lines burned off, and the boat swung
out in the stream and the wind carried
her over on bar opposite the wharf.
lt was impossible to reach the
steamer with the stream from her
wharf. and boat was secured, in
which the fremen jumped carry ing
the hose with them. The Third ward
company hurriedly crossed the bridge,
and ran plug stream from Vine and
Water street.
And 1t is well they did or the fire
would have increased into an an awful
contiagration, as the high winds car
ried the ble ztng sparks over on the ice
houses and coal sheds of Terrell g. Son
and two or three times they were fred
The fremen promptly drenched the
buildings, and prevented serious
trouble.
In the meantime the steamer was
rapidly being consumed, and the ga.
loon and cabins were soon burned off
leaving the heavy iroa work Of the
machinery, boiler and stack standing
upright.
The flames continued to eat their
way through the boat, until nothing
| but the hull was left, and this was
towed around and made fast on the
east side of the river.
la the meantime thousands of peo-
pile had gathered on both sides of the
Cohansey, watching the beautiful
though awful picture. 1t is the first
tune that vessel has burned In this
city, and the sight was novelty.
1t was considerably after four o'clock
before the tiremen left the wreck, and
returned to the engine house. They
had just reached their homes, when
another alarm was turned in, about
six O'Clock, and again was the sppara-
tus hurried to the steamer, another
slight blaze having been started, A
few buckets extlnguished the blaze,
and she was left once more.
How the fire was started seems to be
utter mystery. Itappears that it must
have been incendiary, for there was
no fire upon the boat, not even a light
ed lamp.
James Mattessn, deck hand, was
asleep In his berth In the second cabin
when he was awakened by the fire.
Everything was blazing at that time
He started to make his escape for.
ward, but was driven back by the
smoke and blaze. He made his escape
through a window, and srousing a
colored deck hand who was asleep be.
low, jumped to the wharf. Neither
man had even an opportunity of saw
ing their clothing. Mattison is a
native of Gator, H., and shipped on
the steamer last Tuesday from Phila-
de)phia.
Capt. Smith Godfrey, who owned
the steamer, is at his home In Wash
ington, D. @. His son who assisted In
the management of the vessel, went to
Philadelphia on Saturday, and was
not here when the fire occurred.
1t Is said the boat is quite fully In
sure6, although 1t is not known what
the amount Is. The steamer was
built In 1854, consequently Is forty
years old. For boat so old she was
in good repair, and destined to be use
full some time. 1t was not learned
what she was valued at.
The burned hull is now lying near
the steamboat wharf, and all day
crowds of people have been going
down to see the wreck. The steam.
boat came here during the latter part
of June, but has not had successful
season.
| We WILL MAKE AN INDUCE.
| MENT NOD UOVI NO uAUE UOTr