Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1872-06-27
Destructive Fire in South Bend.
From the South Bend Union, June 18th.

D6SLI UCCIVS II III IOOUIA4 0OAAN.
From the South Bend Union, June 18th.
Shortly before six O'Clock Monday eve
ming the alarm of fire was sounded, and
it soon became known that the immense
wagon factory of the Studebaker Bros.
Manufacturing Co. was IN flames. The
building was of wood, three stories high
in the form of an L, about 200 feet longon
Lafayette street and 100 feet on South
street, the whole block being filed with
sheds and out buildings for the storage
of materials &c.
The building was filled from top to bot
tom with the finest of woodworking ma
chinrey which was capable of turning out
the complete wood work of twenty-five
wagons per day, nd employed one hund-
red hands The machinery was driven by
forty horse power engine, and the great
est care was used TO guarc the whole es-
tablishment against fire. The whole ma
chinery was in operation and ofcourse the
building was filled with light sbavings
and dry material which flashed up almost
like gun powder, and so rapid was the
progress the fire that many of the work
men were compelled to jump from the
windows to save their lives
The fire is supposed to have originated
| from friction engenderd in the journals
Of the fans used in carrying the dust and
shavings to the engine room.
| Before the fire companies were on the
ground it was apparent that nothing
could save the building from destruction,
and The only thing to do was to keep it
from spreading to the adjoining buildings; !;
but this was found impossible for the rea-
! son that no facilities had been provided for
1frI1is u nd nj
pie stood idly bv, vainly deploring the
calamity. while the fire fiend continued to
! leap in demoniac glee from bui ding to
building with nothing to restrain lis course
As the fire progressed the wind raised with
increased vigor from the southwest, and
soon the roof of the third ward school
house was in flames The whole wooden
portion of the building was readily CON
sumed leaving only the bare brick walls
5 anding. The dwelling houses Of Luke
| Duffy on the west side, and of John NJ.
| Myers on the east side, of Lafayette street
was also consumed The flames spread
across Lafayette street.-The lie lumber yard
Of the company used for storing and
seasoning wagon material, and before
they could be checked large quantities
were DESTROYED.
The flames and burning brands were
! carried to great distance through the air
and several buildings two and three blocks
away caught in the roofs, and bat for the
most active vigilance in Suppressing these
incipient fires the cpntlagration would
have swept over a large portion of the city.
The ccntents of many of the dwellings
near the fire were removed in the expect
alton that the buildings would be con.
sumed, and from this cause a great loss
occurred to owners which we are unable
to estimate.
The direct losses are as follows:
Stpdebaker Bros. Manufacturing Co.
toisfssss $4,000 Insuance $4,000
City school building, loss $4,000, No
insurance.
Luke Duffy, dwelling, loss $1,000
Insurance s 1000
John NJ. Myers, dwelling, loss $1,000.
Insurance $500
| Joseph Needham, tools and furniture,
loss 5 25. No Insurance,
Benz. Bass, barn, loss $500 No Insur-
ance
Harman Lane, barn, loss $50 Insur-
ance 500
Philip Berger, barn, loss 500. No In
surance