The San Francisco call., 1907-01-04
BLAZING TUG SET
ADR|FT IN DAY
Deserted by State Fire Boat,
Wizard Menaees Safety
of Shipping at Anchor
ON MUD AT SAUSAL1TO

Fire was discovered shortly after
o'clock yesterday morning on board
the tug Wizard lying al EIission-street
wharf. The State tug GovernoF Irwin,
Captain John Mcfarland, and a chefni-
cal engine from the city Fire Depart
ment responded TO the alarm. but both
State and city fire lighters developed
chilly, pedal extremitfes when they
learned that the vessel was an oil
burner. The city fire fighters de-
clined TO 20 on board. but ordered
Captain Mcfarland TO tow the Wizard
into the stream. Mcfarland did this
and of lombard street abandoned the
burning tug. leaving her free to go
wherever the ebb tide might take her.
The Governor Irwin returned. to her
berth. Mike Baldwin. a fireman. un-
der the influence of liquor and partly
asphyxiated by the smoke. was
dragged Off the wizards deck and
taken to the Harbor Hospital Bald
win is supposed to have been respon-
sible for the fire.
MFARLAND RUNS AWAY
The flames were finally subdued by
the Spreckels tug Reliance. which was
dispatched to the Wizards assistance
when 1t was learned that the state
fire tug had left the vessel to her fate
which. had il been what Captain Nc
Farland feared. might have been
shared by large fleet of lumber YES
sells anchored of Meiggs wharf
State fire tugs have sometimes been
tardy In answering the call TO duty,
but this is the first time on record
where the captain OF a state fire tug
has run away from a fire through fear
of getting hurt.
superintendent Charles Putnam Ia
ter ordered out the IRE tug Governor
Markham, but the Reliance had The
fire under control and the State boats
services were not required.
When the Reliance found the Wiz
ard she was we'll over toward Sausa-
Tito. where she now lies on the mud
flats damaged by fire and water to the
extent of about $4,000.
An investigation after the fire had
been extinguished showed the Wiz
ards oil-burning apparatus intact and
her tanks still filled with LIQUID fuel
The fact that she was an Oil-buruer
had nothing to do with causing the IRE
and the nature of the fuel contrib
uted nothing in the way of food to the
flames. The damage was confined to
the woodwork at the after end Of the
vessel and can be repaired in a COM
paratively short time.
ORIGIN OF FIRE UNKNOWN
The secret of how and just where
the fire originated is -obscured in rnys-
terry or hidden IN the drink-dulled
brain OF Fireman Mike Baldwin. which
amounts to the same thing. Baldwin
had been ordered to get Up steam and
have the vessel ready to leave at a
o'clock for Coos Bay. He says he
started the fires. but remembers moth
ing else. All hands were asleep
when the fire vas discovered. but were
aroused and found time 10 save their
clothes before leaving the vessel
Baldwin was disco cred lying in a
drunken stupor on decx, He was re-
moved 10 the Earbor Hospital where
he later recovered consciousness. He
could throw no light on the cause OF
the fire. "She was ell right when I
left her" he declared repeatedly. s'
Captain Patricl Collins master OF
the tug, believes that Baldwin threw
down a piece of lighted waste. which
set fire to the woodwork.
The Wizard. which. was fully in
sured. was owned by ~. a. Boole, who
bought her some time ago and practi-
cally rebuilt her. She il valued at
100000 and was being used 70 tow
Timber carriers on the, coast.