, 1873-01-03
A$l7O,OOO FIRE.
Thu EorthBestern Pertilizing coupany's
~Verks at A;nsTorih De.
stroysd.
All the Buildings and Their Contents
Redrced to Ashes.
Estimated Loss, $!7o, 900; In
.surance Only $l8, 500.

Estimated Loss, $!7o, 900; In
surance Only $l8, 500.
The Establishment to Iso Imme-
diatcly Rebuilt.
The people who reside at Ainswor.h, or South
chicago. as it is now called, are happy, The
intolcrable stink factory has been temporarily
e1joined from emitting is obnoxious vapors,
and, we're not the residents OF that suburban
1oyn under noral restraint, much whiakey and
champagne would probably be drunk to COM
ysuorate the event. This mnuufactory Of the
norapound extract Of all that ia disagreeable and
otengiyo has been located in Ainsworth
10. cbo1t seven years. In 1853, Mes.-s.
VAIL Brothers, tho proprietoss, having
too much business tn attend to. sold the estab-
lahment and fixtures to 4 stock corporation
known as the Northwestern Certi1iz;z1 Com
p.oy. This organization resolved to do business
On more extensive sca1e than the Wah1 Broth
e1z. and the purchased buildings being entire
II inadequate for their uso, additional structures
we're erected and moro machinery bought. Near-
h 600, 900 were expended in re1tting the factory,
aud making it accord with their ideas. For the
1.st two years, the Canal and Dock Company, and
uiYnte citizens, who own property in Answorth,
hare done everything possible to have tho
establishment declared nuisance by the Courts,
but without avail. Tho Company was indicted,
Is wes similar concern-the Union Rendering
Company, which was aleo located within the
f..s&u ~ 11~+ r:~
adverse to the complainants woro given by the
Judges before whom tho cascs we're brought for
adjudication. Tho Union Company WIS, how
erer, dscla1ed to ho a nuisance, and they moved
their nanufactory to another location farther
up the Calumet River. The indictment against
the Northwestern Company is still pending, pro-
ceedings having been stopped, 1t ia understood,
to consider proposition to sell the land, build
4ngs, and machinery The price demanded WAS
deemed excessive, and, tho Company refusing to
mike IN, concessions or compromise, the prop
osidon was not favornbly entertained.
Whit the Law failed to stop, has, however,
been checked BY fire, the establishment, with al
its contents, having been totally consumed early
On Wednesday morning. The buildings, which
covered space Of 300 by 400 feet, we're located
about si1 hundred yards from the track
Of the Pittsburgh d Fort Wayne
Railroad, ando7 700 yards from any other st1uo-
tute than small boatding-house. Tho build
ings we're Of wood, and one story in height, with
the exception of the main structure, which ex-
tended upward fyo stories, and were divided
into departments designated as the "drying
soom," s' barrelling hoor," "packing hoo1,'
"mi1ing hoor," etc. On the first floor OF
the main building the ofral to be
metamorphosed into fertilizers was deposited.
The establishment WAS the only large one in tho
vicinity Of the city. and its capacity Was as great
as that Of any in the country. As high as 900
tons Of animal matter hare been received in ono
day, and Lust year over 900 tons we're handled
and utilized. In addition to manufacturing pure
bone dust, the Company prepared immense guam
titles Of super~phosphate of lime, made soluble
By sulphuric acid, and manure from
blood. Which was dried and render
ed odorlcss by peculiar PROCESS.
During the present season they had received
onal from all over the country, and had about
5000 tons on hand on Tuesday night last. All
the refuse from tho numerous packing houses
IL Chicago was taken charge OF BY the Company,
they having twenty cars and a locomotive en-
factory.
Abous o'clock on Wednesday morning,
iiru Was discovered Oh the third foor' Of
the main building, and in loss than nn
hour the premises and contents werc reduced to |
about Is much space rs the seat Of an ordinary !
chair. One Of the employees first saw the !
flames, and ran for i bucket-full Of water, num- |
beza Of which we're available, being kept con-
SANITY in all portions Of the building for au |
emergency OF the kind The man hurried !
teTssd ,nss he 5 fire. after securing boeket: but the
60 rapidly that 10 was obliged to
tee for safety. Tho alarm had !
lea previously given to the other persons at
work, Of whom there were twenty-five, and all |
made their exit from the building without diff
eaEy. There are no facilities for e1tinguishing
fires in AnsTorth,-at least none which could |
suhdue such conaagration as this; and hence |
ntSoshing could be done BY the people to prevent
eishty-hve aud ninety men were en-
pioyed in the factory, all OF whom
we're, OF course, thrown out Of situa-
lions: Since LAST fall the establishment had boen
running night and day, large contracts having
nean made with Eastern firing, which required |
I'll. - "'1' "0@0' ~
-! Ihe origin Of the fire is not definitely known,
h1t it is attributed to spontaneous combuation.
! daeTe Tas no stove near the place where the
tAaes were f1rst seen, and the engineer and |
@aschman Ind left the locality but 4 few min
ntes before the hitter observed the light.
LIS Secretary Of the Company esti-
mstcs the loss at $4,000, tho build
lag being valued at $4,000. the ma
calnery et $50 000 and the stock, OF which there
s Eete .. 600 tons, at $50, GOO. The insurance is
put sl9,9o divided among the following COM
NO Snl9n 4ntual Of Phladelphis. $4,000
49, C. 9! droo1iyn- 1,610
F,-A1cA ~ ss" a0r6 ~ 1,600 |
f31eso o. Ne" iofk. 400
E1..t' ~ $500
Estte.9 $500
Fsr-oa. Q. aann1oa1 Mo.-::.--.-......-...-.2 No. $500
1mefs, Toaen, Merchants, and Manufacturers, Of
"a 9aason ~ Ohio. 1850
13'' u Newport, -....--................ 25DQ
800 |
Aoout S25 ooo Of insurance expired in Decem-
Os 0ss nsf, and the companies having risks would
aos rene" them, on account Of the excitement
auseo BY tile Boston fire.. Home companies rp- I
asea 70 issne policies On the establishment and
outents, and attempts made in Now York to in I
NJ ~ kne property proved abortire.
~ lhe Vice President OF the Company,
~. E.. ?. Baugh, Of Phil.delph:a
~ asa aolaed by telegraph Of the
and relpiod thak ha 1rontd