The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-08-02
A BIG BLAZE.
ANAWALT, DENKMAN g. CO.'S
MILL DESTROYED.
Loss Pretty Well Covered by In
surance.

Between and o'clock yesterday after
noon, the steam saw mill of Anawalt,
Denkman & Co., took fire and was entirely
destroyed. 1t seems to be understood
that the fire was first discovered in the
roof of the saw dust room. The engineer
claims that he Immediately attached hose
to the water supply, but the pressure was
so weak that he could not reach the blaze.
Within ten minutes the whole mill was a
sheet of flame. The workmen barely had
time to escape alive, and nearly all Of
them lost some portion OF their clothes,
coats, vests, hats, ETC.. and some entire
suits, as they changed their clothes on
going to work.
The fire alarm was given promptly, and
several locomotives and Deighboring steam
whistles screamed fearful alarm. Peo
pie rushed to the scene from all parts of
the city, and the hose companies. the hook
and ladder company, and the steam fire
machine were quickly on hand. 1t was
impossible, however, to save the mill No
possible amount of water supply could do
it caught the timbers of the roof were fall
ing in.
The Davenport and the Moline fire de-
partments were on hand with their
steamers, but they were not used. The
alacrity with which they came to the help
Of our fremen deserves the thanks Of all.
Of course our fire department used every
effort to save adjoining property and sue
ceeded in doing so.
The insurance on the destroyed property
amounts to $l9,50O Nj. 7. Wiser, having
insured the dry kiln in the Citizens oil
Newark, n j., for $500, and +. W
Hurst having $4,000 on the mill, divided
as follows. Commercial Union, Lonuon,
$3,0OO Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, 50, 600;
Springfield Fire and Marine, $1,000;
Glenn's Falls, $1,000; Merchants, New,
ark, $500; Lancashire, England, $1,000
The loss is vaIiously estimated from
$4,000 to $4,000, The mill was com
Dleted in the spring Of 1874 the cost being
$4,000, Since then a dryh0use has been
added, costing probably $4,000 more, and
making $4,000, all of which has beer
swept away except the somke stack and the
mill foundation. There were beside, 80,
900 feet of pine lumber, 10000 of walnut
| 100000 shingles and 100000 lath DIES
troyed, adding $4,000 or $1,000.
Ia the saw mill was a very large engine
with four boilers; large double rotary
one edger, two trimmers, two slab saws
one lath mill, one shingle mill, and Other
valuable machinery.
OF course the cost Of building is muci
less row than when this mill was built, anC
! -, ~ oh
foundation and the smoke -stack-bOth eX
pensive-and probably good. and it il
believed by good judges that the mill ear
be replaced in as good condition as before
the fire, for very nearly the amount OF IN
surance. All will hope it can and that a,
soon as the insurance is settled the work @
rebuilding will commence.
The loss of the use OF the mill is LITTLE
or nothing, as business is now. for no mil
can do more then pay expenses at presen
prices of lumber.
= Between the mill anC their lumber var,
run the railroad tracks on Orleans stree
and oyer this street is a bridge and mul
railroad by which lumber is transported t
the yard on the south side of Orlean
e street. Their planning mill and sash an
door and window blind factory, and thei
tenement houses are, luckily. all on tn
south side of Orleans street, and uniHjured
The proprietors are f. II, Auawalt, 10
seph A. Gray, f. Weyerhauser and f. c
2 \. Denkman. Weyerhauser & Denkma
will not feel the loss. but it will fall wit
dscouraging effect upon Messrs. Anawal
c * cray. We hope they will not lose thci
courage but will promptly get their lnsul
ance and as promptly rebuild.
They had about 100 men and boys o
r their pay roll upon whom the fire tells St
verely. We hope they may SION fin
employment in rebuilding or in other Ct
terprizes.
: The firm has had two previous fire
X July /, lS14,two tenement houses on the
K premises were burnt down. and about on
year before that date they had some $40
> 900 worth OF lumber destroyed on the yaI
o! the old mill where the new round bUu-
e now stands. If three times ard out
Y holds good they may hope that this thir
fire will be their last
HOW IT Is TO-DAY.
All last night the fremen remained
the scene OF the c1nhagration, and keI
= four streams OF water en- the smoulderiJ
ruins. There is only one street hydral
near the mill and that is in front OF Il
II mill Office. The Rescue Company d
II tached its hose here while the Hope Ho
and Neptune, and the Wide Awake al
, Phenix boys united their hose and tv
u more streams were thus furnished I'll
| fourth was fram a private hose belongir
Il to the mill.
The fremen find great trouble IN putin
out the fire, as, where the mil! stood W;
Is formerly low part of the slough viii,
c has been filed up during the past fe
n years with scraps Of kiDdling wood al
sawdust, in depth measuring from 10
80 feet The fire is now burning IN th
huge pile, and while the iremen a
# throwing water on one place the fire Oft
= breaks out in another. 1t will have to
u closely watched, as the fire may burn
= week or more.
is Mr.. Anawalt stated to a reporter f
% this paper, this morning, that nothing h
. yet been said about rebuilding the mi
" but that owing to the present dizziness
, the lumber trade it is not likely they won
Is rebuild
II POLICE CAsEE.