The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-09-03

FIRE SUNDAY .MQRN1NGar-At precisely
midnightlof Saturday heafirey bells rang
an alarm the first that mas aroused our city
for some months, We were quickly on the
streets to learn the cause of the alarm. and
on reaching Water Street, we discovered
the Indiana Mills, owned by Mr.. VIM. Hell
pinstine, of Washington, Indiana, enyeI-
oped in flames. At this time the spectacle
presented by the massive building, was
extremely grand and awful The whole
building was wrapped in a sheet of flame,
"a very ocean of fire-the livid waves of
flame darling upwards to an immense
height,an the whole air1fllled withssparks
and fakes and cinders, falling upon the
surrounding buildings like mighty show
er of fire. The main building was frame.
three stories high, built with massive tim
bers, which stood towering like giant pill
lars of flame long after the weather board
ing, roof and floors were consumed.
Il The hand engines and one of the steam
lers were brought into the vicinity, but SO
rapid had been the progress of the flames,
~ want of, water, and the intense heat
that prevented the firemen from approach
Ing within a square of the building, that
1t rendered it impossible for the engines to
be OF any service. a8s ~ S2#m
Thousands of people hoclzed to the vi
cinity to watch the progress of the devour-
Ing element For two hours the flames fed
upon and devoured the massive timbers,
which one by one gave way, until the ties
and braces gave way, when the whole
frame tottered and fell with terrible
crash, filling the air again with storm of
fire.
After the frame fell, the husk frame-a
massive structure supporting four pairs of
millstones-continued to stand and burn,
until the whole became apparently a solid
mass or living Goals, which at last gave
way, and millstones and wheels and shafts
fell into the raging furnace, and the old
Indiana Mills were mass of unsightIy
ruins. = - - - TT
1t was the most brilliant fire we have
seen IN the city, lighting up all that por-
tlon OF the city from Heilman's Foundry
to the Coal Mines, and illuminating the
river and the Kentucky shore from point
to point. The Indiana Mills were built
over 80 years ago, were burnt down about
q years since, and rebuilt. Thew were
first built by gentlemen from Boston. as we
are told, and have passed through the
hands of various of our citizens, until they
were finally purchased by w. M. Altman,
some two years ago. at Sherif7s sale, and
by him enlarged and ref1tted throughout
at an expense of more than SIS, 900, the ma
chinery1alone costing over sI6,0OOean be-
ing reckoned amongst the best in the
country Last fall, wei believe, the MillsE
passed into the hands Of Mr.. Helpinstein,
since which time they have not been run
ming. o,, 81
@Theawatchman, Mr.aW.nH4 johnson, n adj !
passed through the mills not an hour be-b
fore the fire was discovered. THE fre-thes
swOr5 of an Vfncendiaryy.O of 7couTse-vas u
kindled i'm a narrow recess between theAI
two buildings. back, where it would not be
readily discovered hntil it had gotten well 4
under way. ui szaIEsQ III
The vaiueof Tie property was estimated
at $4,000, allow estimate, and was insured |.
for 81, 900 in the following Offices. all. excl
cept the Arctic, REPRESENTED in tiiis}eitv by
DIR. A.. G. Hallock: ~
Z Putnam. "a ,O9Os City Fire, s.. 900 {: Spring
field, 5000; International, 81 1000; Metro
poEitan, 81, coo; Arctic, 81 600. - 8cg = 4
The frequency of destructive fires recent
Iy, have determined many Of the best In
surance Companies of theconntry. to close
up and retire from the business, and those
continuing are considering the propriety
of advancing rates.
Yesterday thousands of people Visited
the ruins of the confiagration, and crowds
fingered around there all day.