The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1906-01-30
NANACLED SAILORS SAVED
kirby's Daring Rescues at New
port Naval Buildings.
PRISONERS FALL INTO SEA

seven Training Structures Are De-
atroysd = Damage. 100000 old
Problem 81 shs Naval Department
solved by tho CasAstrophe--siaift
ing Wilde Save Constellation.
Newport, r. T. Seven buildings con
nected with the United States Naval
Training Station at Coasters Harbor
Island, in this city, were destroyed by
fire, the estimated loss being 100000.
The buildings destroyed were the
detention building, machine shop, paint
shop, paymaster storehouse, carpen
ters shop and two small storehouses.
The. fire was discovered at about
$50 o'clock p. N. by a sentry who, in
passing the machine shop, adjoining
the detention building, snelled smoke,
Investigation showed that the fire was
making rapid Roadway
The alarm was given, and all the ap-
prentice boys, 1900 in number. with
the members Of the detachment Of ma
rines and the enlisted men, answered
the call to quarters. BY the time q
bucket brigade had been formed the
flames had leaped to the detention
building, d brick structure two stories
high ana about 40 by fifty feet dinen-
siOns
The work Of the bucket brigade was
Of no avail against the fire, as q strong
northwest wind sprang up and threat
ened to carry the flames to nearly ev-
cry quarter Of the reservation. Aid
from the Newport Fire Department
was then asked
All the smaller stOrehouses and
shops about the detention building
were of wooden construction and fell
an easy prey to the fire
The apprentices, marines and enlist
ed men, under the command Of Com
mander Sawyer, the Commandant Of
the station, gave the fsremen great as
sistance. When 1t was discovered that
the bucket brigaGe could not cope with
the flames the men were ordered to
devote their energies to saving prop.
erty.
Ait this time the paymaster's Office
and stOrehouse were burning fercely,
but the men and boys managed 10
make their way into the building and
to save q portion of the stores. The
sale WIS uHtAcu ny the pay AhuStCA NAA
all the money and official documents
were removed and placed under a
guard Of marines.
One OF the burned buildings con
tanned ali the small boats and cutters
used for practice purposes at the sta
ton These boats had been hauled
from the water when winter set in, and
had been stored in the building. All
were destroyed
Several apprentices in single irons
were confined inAthe detention building
at the time the hre broke ont Phys
ical Instructor Joseph Kirby liberated
them by heroic effort. When he
reached the detention building he could
not see the young prisoners because Of
smoke, but they answered his call.
Supported by q line of men, Kirby
made his way to the spot where the
boys were in confinement, and passed
them back one by one, to the men be-
hind him, and so out upon the sea wan.
In passing over the sea wall two OF
the MANAGED boys fell overheard. but
were Immediately rescued. They were
sent to the barracks for the rest of the
night.
For a time the famous old frigate
Constellation, which is used as d prac-
tice ship at the station, was in danger
OF destruction, but prompt work on the
part OF the firemen saved the ship. A
shift, Of the wind few minutes later
removed all danger
The origin OF the fire is not known.
At 11.80 o'clock it was still burning,
but under control. A large quantity
OF naval stores was destroyed
The fire-nghting forces were in
creased by details from the torpedo
station and from the Naval War Col
( Iege.
The destruction Of the detention
building has solved a problem at the
station. One naval board condemned
the structure, and recommended that
1t be destroyed. Later another board
recommended that it be used as a ma
chine shop. 1t has been used but little
recently. During The recent epidemic
of spinal meningitis 1t served as hos
pital.