The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1921-05-24
OLDEST WARSH|P,
GRANITE STATES
PREY To FLAMES
Noted Man o. War Destroyed at
Her Berth in Hudson River
FIGHT BLAZE ALL NIGHT
200 Naval Militiamen Ordered to
Abandon Vessel-L0se All
Personal Effects

New York May "a After an all
night fight iremen failed today to ex.
tinguish the blaze VIII ch continued to
burn briskly in the blistered and
blackened hulk of the United States
naval reserve training ship, Granite
State. Practically all Of the two hun
dred members of the naval reserve
who have bade their home on the ves-
sci lost their personal effects.
The old United States sh p of the
line Granite State. which for the last
fifteen years has been used as a re.
ceiving and drill ship by the New
York naval militia, was swept by fire
yesterday at her berth at Ninety
seventh street and the Hudson River.
The fire was brought under control
after three hours of vigorous fight ng
and although the vessel remained
ahoat she had been so damaged that it
may not be worth while to repair her.
Among Oldest Ships.
The Granite State is the third oldest
naval hull in the United Staten the
two older being the Constitution and
Constellat on. A though her hull has
been regarded a perfect specimen OF
naval architecture of a century ago
she is of no sentimental or patriotic
interest, for she never fred a shot in
warfare. She was laid down in 1918
and was antiquated by the time the
civil war began. She was bu 1t in
New Hampshire and christened the
Virginia and renamed the New Hamp
shire in 1863.
Name Is Changed
When the Government needed her
name for more modern ship she was
renamed the Granite State. She was a
receiving ship at the New York navy
yard for years before she was turned
over 10 the naval m litia
The first which damaged her so bad
ly yesterday began with a leak from a
seven inch service oil pipe which
leads under the Hudson from the New
Jersey shore to the naval station at
the foot of Ninety-sixth street re
pair gang working at the Manhattan
end of the pipe allowed an quantity of
o TO escape from il over the nearby
ryer surface, aud the oil became ignit
ed from the exhaust of naval launch
or perhaps from somebody's cigarette.
Anyway the floating and burning
oil carried the fire to the wall side
Of the old wooden hull, and she quick
ly caught fire As the flames climbed
bap oh bQnnplg tn pftpl IN nc
oozed out to meet them, and W thin
fifteen minutes after she began to
burn she was ahame from the water
line to the truck of the single spar
she carries nova light signal mast
in the region of where her mainmast
used to be
Naval Men Abandon Craft.
There were two hundred naval mill.
t.amen in her when she caught fire,
and for a couple of minutes they tr ed
to fight the flames, but soon gave way
Then orders were given to abandon
her and instantly 0beyed, Nobody
saved anything.
From the pier, with sailors from all
the ships handy, the fight was renew.
ed, but in short order it was taker up
by the regular city fire department
The fire was al but too much for the
professionals, with all their freboats
and eng nes 1t fought them hard for
three hours and then capitulated only
because the pitch between the seams
seemed to have burned out.
If the vessel is repaired-whch is
considered improbable-th bill will
come to about 100000