The daily gazette., 1879-07-28
From the Salisbury Advertiser.
A TERRIBLE CONFLAGRA RATION.

THE LARGE PLANNING MILL OF K. K.
d JACKSON & co. BURNED-TERRIBLE
EXCITEMENT-MANY THOUSAND DOL
LARS WORTH OF PROPERTY DhsTROY-
ED. .
The great fire of 1860 narrowly escaped
repetition on Thursday last. At pre-
csely 12aa o'clock the steam whistle of
Messrs. 4. K. Jackson Il Cos mill be-
gan blowing as asignal of fire, and very
soon the entire mill was in flames. Words
are einadequate to describe the situation.
Men hurried to and fro, and the widest
commotiOn ensued. II WAS very evident
from the beginning that the entire wooden
structure would be consumed, and every
one turned their attention toward saving
the town, which was in immediate dam
ger. The men began to remove the ma
chinery from the mill, and to break the
large piles of lumber that were slowed
away In the yard, thus making gap, by
which means they hoped to save the
town. Lumber was thrown from the
piles into the river to keep it from burn
ing, and the small houses along the
Wharf were speedily torn down to pre-
vent the spreading of the flames. The
heat was SO great that 1t was difficult to
stand Within thirty yards of the flames.
Men were exhausted, woman shrieked
and almost tainted at the terrible sight.
The engine was put to work and lines
of buckle formed from the river, which
did 60 d work. 1t was plainly evident
that unless the wind, which was blowing
rom the southwest, chang d, that seri-
GUS r-sulls would be the consequence.
But by the interpOsltiOn of Divine
Providence the wind suddenly changed
to the southeast, and thus saved the
town. For white it seemed cer' ain
that the houses Oh High street would bp
consumed, but by the aid of wet blank
cts and plenty Of water they were saved.
Only the most untiring exertiOns Of
the people, who turned out en- Da<csse, pre-
vented the burning of the entire town.
Never did set Of men work more faith
fully than on this occasion, for they re-
allied that many thousand dollars worth
of property was in peril, and they work ed
with vim that cannot be surpassed.
At 2a o'clock 80 threatening had be-
come The situation that assistance was
telegraphed for from Wilmington, Del.
In response TO our appeal for aid the
Mayor sent two steamers and their COM
panies-the Fame, a first-class Gould
double-plunger piston engine, and the
Reliance, second-ciass Silsby. The
Washington Hose also came along, but
did not bring their engine. Representa-
tlves of the Delaware and W ater Witch
companies were also present. The en-
gines came in charge of VIM. McCrea,
ESQ.,, Chief of the Wilmington Fire De-
partment, who showed himself to be a
thorough fireman and excelle:t chief.
Patrick Harrison was Chief Director OF
the Reliance, and John German, Pipe
Director. VIM. Harris Chief Director
of the Fame engine, and James Riley
Pipe DIR, ctor. Charley Crow was Chiei
Director of the Washington Hose, will
VIM. Tucker, First assistant.
We much regret not having been fur
nished with the names of the engineers
and firemen OF the steamers, as they did
faithful duty. In fact IL would give us
great pleasure to publish the entire list OF
names of those who so kindly left voca-
ton, home and friends and came to our
succor. Their good offices will never be
forgotten by those whose esteem is de-
sirable.
The run from Wilmington, 103 miles,
was made i'm two hOnrs actual running
time, deducting all stappages. Seven
trans were safely passed. The engine
was No. 3S-Wm. Hukill, engineer, L.
| Carver, fireman.
The engines got on the wharf and at
work shortly after 9 o'clock, and well
and faithfully the staunch machines and
their gallant commanders did their duty
The Wilmington boys showed that they
knew what hard work was, and were
not disposed to shirk it. No let up was
made in the efforts to stop the flames un-
til 81 o'clock in the morning. Through
the exertions of DR.. L.. S. Bell the en-
gines were kept properly supplied will
coal and oil.
At the hour above mentioned the fire
was pretty effectually >quelohed, and
the firemen left tor Wilmington early.
While In town they were, by order oi
the Board of Town Commissioners, al
the expense of the town, entertained in
equal numbers at the Peninsula anG
Salisbury Houses.
The loss is large cne. The mill was
stored with box boards, and the yart
filed with several hundred Thousand
feet of yellow pine lumi,er and dressed
flooring, winch was nearly all destroyed
The office situated in the yard was also
burned, but the money, books and pa
pers were saved. There was stored away
in the granary between one and two
thousand bushels of wheat, which wa.
nearly all consumed. The loss, which IL
between. SAC. 900 and $50, 600, falls heav
lily upon them, and throws large mum
Der of hands out of employment
Hal either of the Wilmington engine,
been here at the beginning of the fire nc
san, man doubts their ability to have
-xtinguished the fire with only trifinl
damage, as they very effectively demon
strat-d that Salisbury is admirably stu
ated for using steam fire eng ne. A
one time Thursday night one of the en-
gines was playing splendid stream
through 800 feet of hose.
! We can buy a suitable steam fire en-
gine with two hose reels and 90 feet O.
the best hose for $4,1O00O0, on sever
years time. This shows that Salisbury
credit stands good abroad.