The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-03-27
SHIP YARD FIRE.
Big Fall River Liner, PIymouths
Is Destroyed.
Other Vessels Badly ScOrched at
Company Repair Docks.
LOSS OVER A MILLION.
Entire Plant Narrowly Escaped
Destruction.
Blaze Started in the Night From
Unknown Cause.

Newport, R. T., March 27-The Fan
River lines big side wheeler steamer
Plymouth, was burned to the waters
edge, the freight steamer City Of Low
ell was damaged, q long pier shed,
hosting shears, paint shops and old
railroad station. were destroyed and
the paint was scorched of three other
steamers, the Puritan. the Priscilla and
the Naugatuck by g fire early today
AT one time the blaze threatened 10
wipe out the entire repairing plant OF
the owners Of the line the New York
New Haven and Hartford Railroad
company. The loss is estimated az
more than a million dollars
No lives were lost but 13 caretakerss
watchmen and hremen on board the
Plymouth were nearly hemmed in so
rapid was the rush of the flames
through the vessel. The five steamers
were all undergoing the regular
spring overhauling preparatory to the
summer season and the burned pier
shed contained considerable quantity
of material for the work. The COM
pany's plant here covered several acres
and includes Long wharf. which IS
used as a landing place for the boats
from New York, two large docks with
piers and nearly a score of machine
shops and smaller buildings.
The fire broke out in the Plymouth
shortly before 2 o'clock this morning,
The Watchman discovered flames BURST
ing from the saloon in the after part
of the boat. He quickly aroused the
men sleeping in the lower hull As
the men tumbled out of their hunks
and sought the stairs the flames were
already sweeping toward them and
scarcely one Of them had time TO seize
his clothes in the rush for the upper
deck.
Within a few minutes the entire city
fire fighting force had been summon
ed to the scene. but before the rrsr eI-
fective stream had been turned on the
nj ~ =
plant was threatened. The steamer
City of Lowell which had caught fire
was towed into the harbor by the tugs
c. w Morse and Solicitor and the
flames on her were extinguished ny
the crew of one of the tugs.
In the meantime the flames had en-
vel0ped the Plymoutb from stem 70
stern and had jumped to the tan Wool
en- hosting shears overhangtns the
vessel and to the pier shed. BY mar
past 2 the firemen gave up hops OF
saving the shears and the shed. the
fire by that time had attacked the paint
shop and the old railroad station at
the head of the pier and they were
quickly destroyed. The Morse and So
Hcitor steamed in through the smoke
and burning brands and towed the re-
naming steamers to safety The Ruri-
tan and Priscilla were scoTched but
except from smoke their interior 1T
tinrs were not damage The Naugn-
attic was I1ndamaged. The hremen were
able to prevent further spread or
the flames. The steamer Plymouth was
a side wheel vessel of 2,280 tons net
burden. She was built at Chester, Pa.
In 1890 Her hull was constructed OF
steel and her interior fittings were
nearly all of wood. She was 3s1 feet
long and was valued at nearly mil
lion dollars The other losses aggre-
gate about $4,000.
Later in the day the body Of Louis
I,eMont, a fireman about 25 years OF
age, was found on board the Plymouth