Newport County, Rhode Island
Community News

The Newport Mercury of Saturday the 18th inst. says “This number completed Seventy-One Years since the Newport Mercury was first published in this town (June 1758) by James Franklin, elder brother of Dr. Benjamin Franklin [Republican Compiler, Gettysburg, PA, June 30, 1829 - Sub. by Nancy Piper]

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THE AWASHONKS, SEACONNET POINT STEAMER, A SMOKING HULK
Burned to Water's Edge While Lying at Her Dock in Tiverton by an Incendiary

Fall River, April 13--Steamer Awashonks, anchored all winter at a dock at Tiverton, R.I., and plying on summer line between Providence and Seaconnet Point, was burned to the water's edge at 2 o'clock this morning.

How the fire stared cannot be imagined as there was nobody on the steamer. Loss covered by insurance.

The fire on the Awashons this morning was first discovered by the night watchman and engineers in the works of the American Fisheries Company across the river in Portsmouth and that town was aroused by the steam whistles of that plant. John McDonald of Quequechan street, this city, who had spend the day rigging a sailboat in the basin and who slept aboard her close to Humphrey's wharf where the steamer was, called out the residents along the water front.

At this time, which was a few minutes before 2 o'clock, the steamer was ablase amidships, and the employees at the fisheries works got a steamer under way to go to the assistance of the Awashonks. They made good time but were delayed about three-quarters of an hour at the railroad drawbridge on account of the inability of those in charge to operte the machinery.

When the steamer from the works, which was the Falson, did get to the side of the Seaconnet boat, her pumps were set going and streams were directed with good effect. After a time, the flames were thought to have been extinguished and the chains which held the disabled craft to her moorings were loosened and she was towed a short distance south and beached to prevent her form sinking. A short time later, however, the fire broke out again and at noon was still burning, with only the keel of the steamer left. She will be a total loss. She was valued at about $30,000, and insured for $18,000. How she caught afire is a mystery, but it is strongly suspected that incendiaries played a prominent part in her destruction. She had been tied to her dock all winter and nobody had been aboard her for a month.

Monday men were to commence overhauling her for her summer trips, and it was expected that they would finish the work in time to allow her to replace the Queen City for a few weeks before the season opened. No fire of any kind was kept on her. Officer Cummings says that when he went home at 12 o'clock there was no sign of fire about her.

A large crowd of curiosity seekers from this city went down to see what was left of her today.

The Awashonks was build at Brewer, Me., in 1893, and hailed from Newport, R.I. She registered 165 tons gross and 114 net. She was 102 feet long, 17 feet wide and seven feet deep. her boiler was rated at 200 horse-power. 

Source: Pawtucket Times, April 13, 1901, Transcribed by C. Anthony

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TIVERTON

The population of Tiverton is two thousand, and from the following list of persons, it will be seen that eighty-eight, or one in twenty-three of the inhabitants are over 70 years of age:

There are 316 between the ages of 20 and 30; 220 between 30 and 40; 221 between 40 and 50; 161 between 50 and 60 and 126 between 60 and 70.
[Source: Newport Mercury, December 8, 1866, Transcribed by C. Anthony]

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