Evening journal., 1896-05-20
BURNED AT HER WHARF
The Sidewheel Steamer Della.
ware Totally Destroyed.
ESTIMATED LOSS ABOUT $4,000

The steamer was One of the Hest
KoOwn In Delaware watera-she wa,
Originally the Swan and Was After
wards the Perry-very Little Insur.
anoe.
ably the best known boat Ia local waters,
was burned at her wharf In the Christi
ana river this morning.
The fire broke out Immediately for
ward OF her engine room shortly after
2 30 o'clock this morning and IL was un
discovered until half hour later
At that time the watchman at the
Delaware Pulp Works and the Liebig
Chemical Company saw the blszs aud at
10 o'clock turned In an alarm from box
"a at Front and Justison streets.
The companies responded and a second
alarm brought ou. the. entire depart
ment, but the FIRE had gained too much
head way aud the vessel was totally des
troyed
O1 account OF the bad roads leading to
the scene OF the fire IL was impossible 10
bring the engines cloEer than = block
from the conhagrRtion. Two streams
taken from the Christians but they were
insufficient TO onench the hamas
The Gre started on the lower deck
and quickly burned out the entire for
ward portion OF the steamer except her
extreme stern. Then IL shifted and
burned back to the stern, clear down to
the water liue.
The stack fell within half an hour
81 IA ha he
After burning to the gunwRle the weight
Of the water, with the heavy machinery
which had toppled over, sank the steamer,
and the inhowlng water extlnguised the
danes except Rt the stern, which was
burning until nearly noon. despite the
heavy rainfRlls
The fire was clearly Of IncendIary
origin as no one was aboard the steamer
and no FIRE WAS lighted on her. The
watchmsn employed BY the company had
been aboard her at 80 o'clock last night
and at that time there was no suspicion
OF fire.
The burned steamer Is total loss She
was owned by the New Jersey and vii
mlngton Steamboat Company OF which
the Wilmington and Northern Railroad
Company owns the controlling interest.
The loss Is about $l2 600 and there Is
but q small amount OF insurance on her.
1t being included Ia a blanket pollsy on
the company's whRrves and steamers.
The Delaware WAS considered one OF the
Oldest vessels In service In these waters
She was originally the Swan, During
the war her name was changed to the
Perry and In 1875 to the Delaware.
She was purchased about five years
ago by the New Jersey aud Wilmington
Steamboat Company. About three years
ago she WAS entirely rebuilt, a new ull
being put under her by the Eloch
Moore Il Sons Company At 4 cost oi
/ Sd 600.
Soc was rebuilt by the Harlan and
Hollingsworth Company IN 1875 aud wss
1850 feet long, thirty.fve feet breadth
Of beam and eight feet depth OF hold
Her destruction at this time Is D
severe loss to the company as she was
to be used for the transportation to
Pennsgrove of exourslonists from along
the line of the Wilmington aud Northern
railroad and new steamer will have TO
be chartered or purchased to take her
place.
Notwithstanding the heavy rains the
Christians banks In the visinlty OF the
bridge were thronged with people this
morning looking at the burned boat
The Delaware was built In Brooklyn In
1915
While on the way TO the fire the driver
Of the Washington cart tried TO cut In
ahead Of the Delaware truck at Front aud
French. The wheels of the cart and the
truck locked for couple OF blocks aud
the cart made very quick time. At
Market street the two separated and the
truck spun ahead Neither was hurt
although the wheels OF both truck and
cart were scratched up considerably.
The horses were not injured.
The Weccacoe boys started from their
house and ran to Front ard Madison,
whore they we're told that ths Gre was at
Fort Delaware They made brief stop
there and then dashed ahead On Beach
street extended after the horses had been
detached from the engine, they ran away
and we're only stopped when the railroad
WAS reached A train OF freight cars
WAS standing on a siding and the
horses dashed into II One Of the horses.
Bill, was pretty badly cut up, but the
other one was not hurt.