The Anna M. Pence Burns to the Waterline; Her Cook Jumps and Drowns

The steamer Anna M. Pence caught fire about four miles north of Everett, near Point Lowell, shortly after 1 o'clock yesterday morning and with her cargo of hay was burned to the water's edge, with the loss of one life, that of Thomas H. Sullivan, the cook, who with his family resided at 1416 Fourth street, this city.

The actual cause of the fire is not known, but the watchman saw some smoke and a small blaze just aft of the engine and immediately rushed up to the pilot house where Capt. Joshua Green was, and gave the alarm. Capt. Green states that he had no more than left the wheel and opened the door when the blaze covered the whole steamer completely. The watchman rushed to the doors where Pilot Peter Falk and others of the crew were sleeping and woke them all, and he thinks that he saw Sullivan. The men rushed out in their night clothes and it is supposed that Sullivan ran back after a carpet bag, and, becoming blinded and confused by the [smoke], jumped overboard. Capt. Green is sure that he heard Sullivan's voice and thinks that he saw him through the flames moving around, and is therefore positive that he could not have been burned to death, but that he must have jumped into the water and drowned.

The steamer had a cargo of twenty-five tons of hay and a scow in tow with a similar load, and the scow was immediately cut loose. All of the men jumped onto it to save themselves and drifted for about an hour, when the steamer William P. Munroe came along on the Fairhaven's run from La Conner and picked them up, arriving here early yesterday morning.

The hay on board the burned steamer was very dry and the work of the flames was short. The passengers on the steamer Bay City, which was in sight, report that the blaze lit up the sky and water for miles and by a special dispatch from Everett it is stated that the fire could be plainly seen from there.

The Anna M. Pence was built at a cost of $5,000 at Lummi, Wash., five years ago by a Mr. Pence, who named her [for] his daughter. She has never been a passenger boat and had no license for that purpose, being used for freighting and towing. Her value was about $3,500 and the amount of the insurance was $1,000, with no insurance on the cargo, which was valued at $250 and belonged to the steamer. She was owned by Capt. Joshua Green, with a small interest belonging to Pilot Peter Falk.

Thomas H. Sullivan was a member of the G. A. R. and the Ancient Order of Foresters, and is said by Mr. Green to have $1,000 life insurance in the latter order. His family resides at 1416 Fourth street. He had worked on the steamer but a few days and had previously been unemployed for three or four years, his wife gaining the livelihood by taking boarders. He was 50 years of age. His daughter, Annie Sullivan, was married only last Wednesday to Timothy L. Crowley.