The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-02-16
UNCLE SAM A
HEAVY LOSER.
Machine Shop at the Brooklyn
Navy Yard Destroyed.
FIRE SEEN BY MAN ON WATCH.
Men From tho Massachusetts, the First 10
Get Water on the Flames.
CITY FIREMEN PROMPTLY ON HAND.
Flames Spread Rapidly and Besides the Machinery
Valuable Models, Patterns and Specifications
Were Bunsd-loss Over $1,000,000.

New York. Feb. fs.-Over $1,000. 900
worth OF government property was de-
stroyed last night by a fire which broke
out in the large machine shop of the
Brooklyn navy yard. known AZ machine
shop No. 2s. and the workings OF the
navy yard have received serious set
back. Many fine models and patterns
or battIeships. their parts and plans,
have been destroyed. and some of them
cannot b- obtained again except by
doing over the work mapped out in the
beginning. a great number OF the
models We're simply copies Of plans,
drawings and Specifications now in the
storerooms CT the department at Wash
ington, and these can be replaced. The
steam engineering department of the
Brooklyn yard is practically wiped out,
and the work done in that building will
have to be thrown temporarily upon the
department of yards and docks, and OF
construction and repairs. There il con-
siderable obstruction TO the work there.
and an extra force Will have to be put
on In order TO keep UP with the work.
The fire was discovered at G:3o o'clock
last night 10y the man on the watch OF
the battleship Massachusetts. He i'm
mediately notified Lieutenant Mulligan,
in charge of the watch. and a call to
fire quarters was piped. The men OF
the Massachusetts, scurried down 10 the
machine shop, about 800 yards away,
and, with the aid OF hose reel, picked
up in the yard. got small stream
playing on the fire.
The building was about 325 feet long
and 100 feet wide. Ii was four stories
in height. aud built OF stone and bricks.
The wooden inside was thoroughly satu-
rated with OIL and the flames rapidly
gained headway. II was seen that the
Massachusetts men could do but little
against the blaze. and Colonel Hunting
ton. in command Of the marines, Joined
in the work
About this time four-alarm was
turned in in the city. and all the engines
In the neighborhood OF the navy yard
responded. The flames had then COM
pletely enveloped the great machine
shop, and attention had TO be paid to
the foundry and other buildings In the
vicinity Several times the flames got
start on the foundry roof but the
rugated iron building, in the rear OF the
machine shop, took fire and was burned,
but the loss on this is insignificant.
The firemen pumped huge streams OF
water into the blazing machine shop.
but all efforts were fruitiess. as the
flames had too much OF a start for the
efforts of the fire department. The
flames made such rapid progress in the
machine shop that by $3.50 o'clock the
officials Of the navy yard pronounced
1t an utter loss. About IL o'clock the
fire had spent itself.
Machine shop No. 2e was occupied by
the coppersmiths. the boilermakers. the
carpenters and the machinists. There
were about 500 men employed there,
but only two watchmen were in the
building at the time of the outbreak Of
the fire. The last workman had left
the place at o'clock. Aside from be-
ing filled with great mass OF ma
chinery, the building was occupied as
pattern and model shop. Here was
kept all the plans. models. drawings and
specifications Of work to be done on any
OF the naval vessels that were to be
repaired at the yard. Many models or
battleships and war vessels, built from
time To time, were Kept there. These
were mostly copies OF models. and their
loss will not be irreparable. The steam
engineering department had a number
OF elaborate plans which were origi-
mated in this yard, and their loss can.
Tot be replaced. II is variously es.
timated that the loss i'm this department.
will amount TO several hundred thoun-
and dollars
In the machine shop very little work
was on hand. a number OF small Or
ders were beins filed for the torpedo
boats Mckee, Rogers. Foote and Porter.
and some engine fittings were being
turned out for the Newark. Scorpion ana
Indiana.
n particular feature of the fire ras
noted i'm the fact that the records and
models of the battleship Maine. which
vas pIS~n w IA Aaver, ss-esr on
Feb. 10. 1888. were destroyed
Tho loss on the building is pl.eed at
100000 that on the machinery and
lsthes in the building at st0o 600 The
cost OF the models and patterns ~
variously placed. but officials in the ward
put the total loss at little over ST.
100000.
The cause OF the FIRE Is unknown as yet
The two watchmen claim that the fire
started IN the southeast corner OF the
building The cause OF the Are will be
the subject OF an inquiry within the
next few days. anG. II possible. the re-
sponslbility will he fixed.
Commodore Philip. the comma ndant
81 the yard, IL now I'm Texas. Captain
George w. Sumner Is acting comman-
dant of the yard