The Washington times., 1906-03-27
Other Fall River Vessels
Badly Damaged
by Fire.
BIG PIERS IN A BLAZE
Reported Loss of Life De-
MED. But Damages Will
Go Over Million.

NEWPORT. r. T.. March 27.-The
seamer Plymouth. of the Fall River
line, was burned to the waters edge:
the Puritan. the Priscilla, the Nauga-
suck. and the City Of Lowell. all of the
same line. were scorched by the in
tense heat; the Fall River passenger
station and other buildings on the
wharf We're badly damaged by fire
here early today. The total loss is es-
timated at 81 soc. 600
Reports of loss of life were posi-
lively denied by officials Of the police
and fire departments. and only one man
was injured. This was Driver Suili-
van. OF a fire engine. who Vas run down
by his engine. suffering broken arm
Started on Plymouth.
The fire started on the Plymouth
shortly before o'clock IL began I'm
the bow Of the boat. deep In the hold
and soon flames were shooting forth
and smoke was coming in suffocatinP
clouds. The thirteen men on the
steamer were aroused and began "a
give battle to the flames. The job was
too much for them. however and the
fire alarm was sounded.
Suddenly the flames from the big Ply
mouth seemed TO take possession OF
every part Of her. They rose from the
hold to the first. then the second. and
then the hurricane deck. and shot to-
ward the sky They were caught by
the wind and famed in every direction
first one and then the other. as II seek
ing TO lick up the other steamers
moored close by. Some one cut loose
the Priscilla. but she did not noai
out into the harbor until her E-hite
paint hau been blisteTed and her side,
were scorched Then the Puritan, the
Naugstuck. and the City Of Lowell
were freed from the big hswsers that
bound them. and when they did not
float free quickly tugs came up and
towed them 90 n safe distance. All OF
them had been damaged more or less
Piers in Flames.
BY this time the flames had jumped
to the piers, which burned like paper.
The flames ran from one end TO the
other and in a few minutes they were
a burning mass.
A general alarm was sent in. which
called every engine company in Newport
TO the scene. and messages were sent
to Fan River and Providence fire de-
partments to hold number of sppar-
atus in readiness to be sent here should
assistance be required Before aid was
necessary. however. the local companies
had the flames under control.
How the fire started is not known.
Those who were on board stated that
they had not the slightest idea what
could have caused the fire.
Owned by Railroad.
The burned steamer was owned by
the New England Transportation Com
pany. a subsidiary company of the New
York, New Haven and Hartford Rail
road Company. She was a side wheeler
and was built at Chester. Pa. in 1890
She cost in the neighborhood of s. 900.
600. She was constructed OF steel. with
interior fittings of wood Her length
was 367 feet; width. 80 feet. and depth
OF hold. n feet.
She was always a remarkably easy
boat in a seaway, and had little vibra-
tion while running full speed.
The remains OF Louis Lamonte. fire
man on the Plymouth, were found al
noon In the hull of the steamer The
head and shoulders were intact, but tn,
arms and legs had been burned of. La.
monte resided on East Eighty-fourtF
street. New York.