Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-15
LADY OF THE LAKE
Almost Destroyed by Fire Early This
Morning
Need of O HarbOr Boat Shown-Nar-
ROW Escape From SuROcatiOn-
The Boats History.

The steamer Lady of the Lake was de-
stroyed by fire at an early hour this
morning.
1T was about 2:30 when Waterman Groves
of the steamer Samuel j. Pentz saw flames
issuing from the starboard quarter, well
aft, of the Lake, which lay alongside the
dock directly south of that occupied by
the PehtZ. He rushed to the harbor office.
one DOCK to the north, and turned in the
alarm. James Neal of the harbor office
went ait once to the steamer and gave the
alarm ito Capt. Cooper and Quartermaster
Keen. iwho We're steering in the saloon
They had barely time to escape in the
clothes they WORE and lost all their per-
sonal Objects. By this time all the steamer
aft the engine room, from the waterways
to the fantail. was ablaze. The flames
were rapidly eating forward. Engine NO. /
was the first to reach the scene, and eX-
periended considerable delay, because the
ire plug to which it attached It's hose was
frozeni Engine No. was the first to get
a stree N on the fire. The chemical engine
and track G. were early on hand. Then be-
gan fight with the fire, not only TO ex-
tingish that on the Lady of the Lake, but
to protect the adjacent docks and shipping.
1t was not till 10 o'clock that the hre
ceasedI to burn. The Lake settled because
of the water pumped into her by the en-
gineS. All the woodwork abaft the engine
room, from the hull up, is burned away;
the wheel houses are charred and Shatter-
ed. ami the forward part of the ship is
wrecked. The stack and walking beam
are stdnding.
There are many theories as to the origin
of thej fire, but none seems clearly salts
factory. That most put forth is that one
of the after lamps exploded. 1t is not
knOwni that there was any fire in that part
of the ship where the flames were first
seen. The Lady of the Lake was owned
but was not in commission-mainly because
of the dispute which Las been in progress
between the stockholders and the president
of the company.
tonnage of 1920: net, $500; length. 30
feet; bIam, 81; depth of hold, 10, and nom
inal hbrse power, 30 She was built in
Wilmington. Del, in 1866. In 1874 she was
taken 10 Norfolk by George III. Plant, and
put in service there. In the winter of that
year she was buried to the waters edge
by thel explosion of a lamp in the lamp
room. lmidships. She was then towed to
Wilmington and rebuilt. Then she came
around to Washington for service in the
Inland Seaboard Coasting Company of
which John w. Thompson was president
She re nained on this route, in company
with tile Jane Moseley, till the Inland and
Seaboafd Company was bought by the Nor
folk arid Washington. Then the Lake was
sold to Mr.. Agnew of Alexandria. and by
him tG MIR. Lewis. and later yhe was
line. she was insured, but for what
amount could not be ascertained.
Harbor Boat Needed.
The present difficulties with the ice prob
lem, and last nights fire, revive the long
talked f question of a harbor boat COM
mensur ate with the demands upon it for
general service in this harbor. At the
time OF the fire on the Lake the air was
perfectly calm. With favorable wind the
river fdont would have been swept. Lying
directly in line with the Lake were the
Samuel J. PentZ, LOWE Randall. Mattano,
Joe Blackburn, T. V. ArroWSmith. Wake
field, Manchester >and several other craft,
besides wharves and wharf houses. The
boats, by reason of the ice, would not have
been able to move from their position. A
harbor boat with fire-fghting apparatus
would have protected them. Washington
harbor has been a heavy loser by fire with
menia. w. w. Corcoran. the big dredge,
the w. w. Colt, the City of Alexandria,
Hercules, Ella, Goldsmith Maid, Minerva
and Stetson. Several of these could have
been saved by the presence in these wat
ers of d fire boat. The boat would also pro-
tect property within several squares of the
river front. An adequate harbor boat would
be strong enough to deal with the ice in
the harbor and relieve Washington of the
trouble and anxiety she has at every hard
freeze.
The reporter for The Star talked with a
number of the prominent river people,
and they think fast, strong harbor boat
is neeGed. The constantly increasing eX-
cursion trade in summer ought to argue
in favor of having staunch, swift patrol
boat in these waters.