Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-03-25
Destruction of the Fort Pitt
Works.

ne ltuIneuSe SdHiIou Ounury oI MtSSrS.
Knapp, Wade & Totten, in Pittsburgh,
known as the Fort Pitt Works, was de-
stroyed by fraRbout O'Clock the morning
of the 18th. Estimated loss $l2s, 900;
insurance $37, 500. The whole square oc-
cupied by these celebrated works-the
most celebrated in the country for the
magnitude and superiority of its manufac-
tures-was laid in ruins in few hours.
The enterprizing firm will rebuild immedi-
ately. They had just entered into con-
tract the Gazette states to the amount of
$I50,000 which this catastrophe will inter
fere with, though it may not defeatit The
Gazette pronounces the fire the severest
that has occurred in Pittsburgh since the
awful confagration of ls45, and we quote
q portion of its graphic description:
We visited the smoking ruins yesterday
at noon. Half the city had been there du-
ring the day to see what the fire had done.
The brick walls were yet in part standing.
The roof, in its fall, had carried with it the
the various parts and complications of
intricate machinery, and every where among
piles of bricks, pieces of ordinance just fin
ished, huge piles of cannon shot and shells
were scattered among segments of iron
wheels, pulleys, shafts, models, moulds, and
the thousand nameless instruments by
which these sons of Vulcan were wont to
fashion "the last arguments of Kings" 1t
seemed to us that it was as good repre-
septation as could well be found of sack
ed, stormed and smouldering fortress, where
the fury of man had done its worst. There
were the dismounted cannons; there the
scattered shot; there the final breach, and
to crown the ruin, there the smoking piles
which not even fire could destroy. Out
of all this rubbish the chimneys still tower
up to complete the scene of desolation.
These works were situated in the Fifth
Ward and covered whole square of more
than 400 feet in length by 200 in width,
extending from O'Hara street to Walnut
street in the longest part, and from the
Allegheny to Etna street. The works con-
sisted of several different buildings, con-
nected together by an immense boiler yard,
through which railway tracks were laid to
convey the ponderous iron from place to
place, as desirable. The fire was discover
I'd in the engine house, brick building
which has stood for more than % years
This bilding was 175 feet long by 35 wide,
four stories in height, and full of patterns,
of the most choice description. These can
be replaced only by an immense expense
of time and money. They were perfect in
finish and seasoned by time.
The lire extended from the engine to the
boiler snd smith shop, an iron building
Every thing here YVES destroyed. A great
deal of valuable work finished or in pro-
cess of completion, together with patterns,
&C., is ruined or annihilated.
The foundry, substantial brick struct-
ure, 265 by lis feet, was next attacked.
The building was ruined, but the furnaces
are not so, they being for most part fit for
use, as is believed
When the fire was fully under way, it
was but little use to try and stop it. It
ragged among materials that are usually
proof against the devouriDg element, but
what was not burned was ruined. The
great cannon-boring department of the
works went next, huge building, stored
with the rarest machinery, some Of it of
the most ponderous kind. The Office was
fortunately fre-proof and so the books and
papers Of this great establishment were
saved.