The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-10-13

visited last night ~ The most dssthe7
tive fire that has occurred here 10 the
last I've years just after dark fire
broke out 10 the extensive steam ian
merry Of B6bribef h Fleming, on the
Seventh Avenue, between Water aud
Fourth Street, Lamas0o The cause
Of tie fire We were unable, IN the
crowd and excitement, 30 ascertain,
bat ~ there bad been no fire used ~
the furnace during the day, IL Is fair
30 presume that 1t was the work of an
ineeadiaryi The fire. broke Out IN the
back part " the building aud was
first discovered by some " tho work
men employed Ia Brinkmeyef a. Co.'S
stove factory, who had not yet quit
work AZ the flames burst through the
roof The alarm was quickly given,
aud the Union Engine aud Hose
Company No, 2 was quickly on tho
spot aud commenced operations. The
jackson No, | also soon arrived aud
commenced 10 play on the fire,
but the buildings being wood
on, the efforts Of tho fire.
mon, who labofed with great energy
and perseverance, proved Intellectual 10
stay the deyoufing element which
soon spread 10 the large Stove Found
~ Of Brinkmeyer II CO., neat nd.
joining towards the river, aud 10 the
bafkhouse on the upper side Of tho
Foundry, aud all three buildings wore
soon wrapped IN ono liyid, aud IN
tenaely feryent sheet Of flame, which
shot It's forked tongue athwart the
skies aud filled the air with It's myriad
sparks and einders, All the build
ings were built Of wood, aud tho pro
gresa Of tho flames was exceedingly
rapid, aud when we reached the
scene Of disaster the spectacle pre-
eented was one Of terrible grandeur
The barkbouse contained large
amount Of bark, which rendered the
heat terribly intense aud prevented
the dremen from approaching IT,
The steam fire engines were watt
cd for with the intensest inter-
est and anxiety, but still they
came not and the excavations
boaped upon them by the vast crowd
that had been attracted 10 the spot
were bitter and general. We learned,
subsequently, that one Of them was
out Of order, and some portion Of the
machinery had been sont 10 Cinein-
pati for repairs, and the other, while
on ita way 10 the fire, lost plug out
Of the steam chest, which rendered Il
useless, and it was taken back TO the
engine house. Tho hand engines,
unable TO check the uneonauerable
flames that licked up tho buildings
already on fire like finder, devoted
their attention TO the preservation of
tho surrounding property In which
they succeeded. The saw mill Of Mr..
Reitz was IN great danger, MS tho wind
aet in that direction, but, by keeping
ID flooded with water, tho property
was saved, aa we'll as that on the
opposite side of tho street. A
large amount of property was got out
Of the Foundry, including patterns aud
stove plates, much Of IL in q damaged
condition, The buildings were in a
short time consumed involving u loss
of near $4,000 Had tho steam en-.
ginHa or even one of them arrived soon
after the fire was discovered the Foun-
dry might have been saved, and the
Same result might have been attained
had the hand engines POSSESSED buff
iicent amount of hose. The want of
hundred feet moro hose caused the
destruction Of the Foundry. While
the flames were nj their heighth tho
water in the boilers Of the Foundry
become heated and began to blow Off
causing u stampede among the spoota-
tors, who feared an explosion.
On Brinkmeyer Il Co.'s Southern
Stove Works tho loss ID estimated nj
5000, ON which there was an in-
auronee of $4,000 in Hartford Offices
the Hartford, City Fire, and Putnam.
The loss on sehriber II Fleming's
tannery il estimated at $50, 900, on.
which there were policies for $li 900
in the following ollioes Evansville
insurance Co., $1,000; Chicago Fire.
mans $4,000, Putnam, Of Hartford,
$1,000, and Springfield, Mass, ~ 900.
All these risks were taken by DR. A.