Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-12-28
YACHT MAYF[0WER
DAMAGED BY FIRE
Arrival of Reporter Upon
Scene Adds to Confusion
at Navy Yard.

Fire of undetermined origin on the
q. S. s. Mayfiower. the Presidents yacht,
at her berth in the Washington navy
yard today. burned out the mess
room. officers quarters and some of
the petty. officers quarters. The
Presidents quarters were not dam
aged.
The fire cali sounded at $40. All
gates at the yard were ordered closed.
Scores Of enlisted men from the
yachts Syiph and Niagara, and dozens
ct officers ranging from ensfgns to
caRle4n4 ecnrrteds To- the -seehe. srchrea
nose lines were run out.
Smoke was issuing in small Spsume
sra sU is sessEsN ssIsatED Dofinoless se 2 s a.sas'
fusion about the dock, the rushing
mon with lines OF hose, the orders
shouted to bugler. the bugle calls,
counter7nanded orders and counter
manded -bugle Calls gave the OBJ
server the impression that the fire
was of serious nature.
Reporter Halted Temporarily.
A reporter for The Evening Star
was halted at the main gate, where a
small crowd of spectators was peek
ing through the pa,ings. No admit
tance to the public was the word
from the guard. The reporter, with a
chauffeur and automobile, drove up to
the next gate. The sentry was in his
box. The gate was wide open.
Come here" went the hail from the
neWS-SleuthiRg automobile The sen.
try came.
Were from The Star. There's a fire
on the Mayflower. The captain of the
yard and commanding officers in gen
eral are at the dock. aren't they
"All rightw
On the dock, and on the yacht, were
probably about $50 men fighting the
blaze. Turn off that hose" shouted
one officer. mo. keep it on" re-ordered
another.
Confusien Of Orders.
Get over there to that port" shout.
ed one.
Moo" came in stentorian tones.
don't do it,"
After they had been on the scene
for about a quarter or a half hour
the reporter was discovered
It happened thus:
The reporter walked up to an Of
nlcer and asked as to the extent ~
He did not know. A board of inonirv
would determine 1t. Then q Grhf
broke.
; How did you get in here?" The
question was asked the reporfer
There was a stern look in the com.
mandant's face, but there was a twin
kle in his eye.
"I came in through one of the
gates"
Then the investigation as to bou,
the reporter got through" starred
1t lasted the greater part Of an hour
and a half.
A motion picture Photographer and
guard. following the detection of the
reporter. A corporal of the qua rtl q nd
O private hustled them up to the rna;n
gate to find out how they eIuded tho
iron Gordon of guards about the ward.
While they were talking at the main
gate up drove the ambulance.
Use OF Telephone Denied.
1t came to stop with a iarr;ne or
81 axes Out hoped the colonel With
lowed half an hours wait for the
colonel to change his coat. A reouest
to get to a telephone to flash" n
bulletin to the office was denied.
The inquiry followed. A conference
IN the hall between the colonel and
the method of entry. Satisrac1orv ero
plantations from the reporter. Release
And after about two hours and hair
the story OF the fire on the Mayfiower
reached the Office.
Capt. Dayton commandant of tbe
navy yard in a telephone report to
the Navy Department said Cant
Holmes, commanding the .Mayf,ower.
had appointed a board of naval officers
to make an investigation at once to
determine the origin and responsi-
bility for the fire.
Considerable damage was done tn
the officers quarters on the shin by
fire and water, Capt Dayton reported. /.
but he said he was unable as vet to
estimate the extent Of the damage in
money.