The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1866-07-18

4 took place o. last sabbath morning. COM
menciny. as near as can De asceEta.uei.
between ? and , O'clock. The devouring
element swept everything before il east Of
the river aud west OF Race street. AM
southwardly from Van Aukel's store en-
bracins the city foundry, WOODEN faclory.
gri5t nil, plaster mills. sawmil chair aud
sash AMI door factories, mill barns. sheds
and almost entirely a. the contents " s4ii
buildings. tools machinery wheat fou-
cloth am WOO. plaster, sash and other
manufactured articles
TIE FIRE was discovered 81 the Touring
mill 0wnsd aud operated b. Mr. B E Hart.
Il i not known We believe. 1r whom the
alarm vas first sounded. bu. before any
effort could be brought 10 bear toward
saving anything IN the mllL i- was one
mass Of fire. and TOO bot 20 permit Of any
entrance bein. made. save Tor the bare
purpose OF securing the books that were
kept 10 the Office 4 mau slept ia the
second story Of the mil. and was only
made aware OF the ire By the intense heat
in his room. which aroused him, barely 10
time 10 save his life. He attempted "
make his escape through the door by which
he gained bis room, but on opening the
door was driven back by the flames. and
vas obliged 70 shut IL and endeavor to
make h's escape By The window. de
threw up the sash, aud called for help 10
some men il . wagon WHO came aud
raised ladder to him. thus enabling him
TO escape from his perilOus situation
Harris plaster mill joined the grist mill
on the west AMI was sure Of destruction.
Here nothing but few shovels aud Wheel
barrows could be saved, the plaster being
TOO cumbrous 10 move. Men went 10 work
10 remove the large mill she'd joining on
the north to stop the spread ot the devour-
ing element in that direction, but its reno
val ayailed nothing. In i few minutes
great lIr.d tongues Of fire Tapped out OF
the upper story windows Of the mill and
very soon after was bursting through the
roof with such force az to carry up hun
dreds Of feet in the air fragments Of charred
shingles, ore 20 SIX inches square. aud the
wind was sufficient to transport these
quarter Of 4 mile. Goals OF fire were drop
ping all over that part Of Lower Town
north east Of the mil, aud every man be-
came alarmed. The Seymour House Union
HoteD caught tire in three places, and
shed adjoining the barn belonging to this
hotel was on ire twice, and the house Of J.
D. kimmick. next to the Newbro store, also
took fire, but these fires were soon extin-
guished
The ire quickly communicated to Mr.
ScoielTs saw mill and Mr.. A. B. Stuart's
chair factory on the south, which we're also
soon destroyed. The second story of the
mill was leased and occupied by Mr. Ruli-
son, as a sash factory, the machinery en-
plOyed belonging 70 Mr.. Parmalee. and val
ued at $500. This machinery was total
loss. together with about $50 in sash be-
longing to Mr.. Rllison. Rulson had sold
out his lease 10 the sash factory only a day
or two previous to the ire, to Messrs. Car
penter and Wright, for $500, and had re-
ceIved his money, he retaining the right TO
occupy the premises three months longer
The chair factory of Mr.. Stuart had but
just been completed, the machinery only
having been put in motion the day before
the fire.
On the east side of the race was 4 dry
kiln, which was destroyed together with its
contents
Next, westward from the grist mill the
fire spread 10 the plaster mill. and rolled
across the open space where the shed had
been removed, as a surging wave. northward
to Harris mill-barn, thence TO Parmalee's
plaster mill, wool house and wooden fac
tory. About this time the iremen arrived
from Middle Town and commenced TO
throw water, with some hopes of STAYING
the element in its onward career to the
foundry and machine shops, and north
ward 10 the stores on Franklin strickland
they were successful in holding it in check
till the blacksmith shop south Of the bridge
was torn down and thrown into the river.
but not so much in cheek as to save the
foundry and machine shops, but these being
low buildings, with the tire engine playing
upon them. and keeping wet the buildings
north, terminated the further spread OF the
fire
TIE CAUSE or THE FIRE.
IL Is pretty generally believed by those
who first saw the IRE. and by those who
were familiar with the location OF the ma
chlnery in Mr.. Harris mill, that the ire was
the work Of an incendiary. The machinery
had all been stopped At an early hour, (be- !
fore o'clock the usual precauti0n OF 90
ing through and examining the mill mad
been taken before leaving il. and some Of /
the hands were there as late as 10 O'Clock. /
al which time the man that slept in the
mill retired taking TO his room the only |