THE FAIRHAVEN FIRE DEPARTMENT SAVED THE CHARLES W. MORGAN 90 YEARS AGO. The famous whaleship would not be a floating museum today, nor be visiting New Bedford this year if it wasnt for the heroic acts of Fairhaven Firefighters during a major fire in 1924.. (photo) Burned to the water line, the steamer-ferry Sankaty lies at the bottom along side The Charles W. Morgan at Union Wharf, in Fairhaven, MA. On June 30, 1924 a huge pier fire lit the skies of New Bedford harbor. Bales of hay, barrels of kerosene, and other goods bound for the islands from the Steamship Dock near Pier 3 provided the fuel for a fire that ravaged out of control. This dockside conflagration lit the night sky and glowed for dozens of miles away. Onlookers watched along the shores of Fairhaven and New Bedford. The fire burned off the lines to the steamer Sankaty and the ship caught fire and drifted into the middle of the harbor. It was like a giant floating fire ball drifting slowly towards Fairhaven and eventually along side the Charles W. Morgan, that was tied up at Fairhaven Union Wharf. The Morgans port side began to get scorched by the intense fire. Smoke and steam began to consume the historic whale ship. Through the heroic efforts of The Fairhaven Fire Department the Charles W. Morgan was saved. Story compiled from recollections of the late Fire Chief Lindsay Gifford who was there. Authors Note: The Charles W. Morgan was later restored in the late 1920s and was on display at The Col EHR Green Estate at Round Hill, South Dartmouth. After the death of the Col in 1936 the Charles Morgan became neglected and soon was badly damaged in The 1938 Hurricane. It was later acquired by The Mystic Seaport Museum and towed away in 1941 to its present berth where it remains on display today as Americas only remaining square rigged whale ship. A rare scheduled visit to New Bedford from Mystic, CT. is planned this year. Photo from The MLBaron Historic Archives.
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 09:09:56 +0000
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