Zophar Mills in 1882.
| |
History | |
---|---|
United States | |
Name | Zophar Mills |
Operator | Fire Department of New York City |
Launched | 1882 |
In service | 1883 |
Out of service | 1958 |
Fate | Abandoned at Staten Island boat graveyard |
General characteristics | |
Type | Fireboat |
Length | 120 ft (37 m) |
Beam | 25 ft (7.6 m) |
Draft | 12 ft (3.7 m) |
Zophar Mills was a fireboat operated by the Fire Department of New York City from 1883 to 1958. [1] [2] She was the department's first iron-hulled vessel and had a pumping capacity of 6,000 US gal (23,000 L; 5,000 imp gal) per minute. [1] [2]
Around 1882, Zohpar Mills reportedly collided with a pier at Little 12th Street (as of 2022 [update], the present-day location of Little Island at Pier 55). [3]
According to some accounts, she was the first fireboat called to the burning of General Slocum, where over a thousand people died. [4] Other accounts say Abram S. Hewitt was the first fireboat to be dispatched. [1] [2]
One of the rusting hulks, er, retired vessels is the fireboat Abram S. Hewitt, which was in active service from 1903-1958. The fireboat, named for NYC mayor Abram Stevens Hewitt (1822-1903) was built by New York Shipbuilding in Camden, NJ and launched the year the mayor died; she served in the NYC fireboat fleet until 1958. It was the last coal-burning fireboat in operation.