The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-03-11
Oil Works to be Rebuilt.
Two Lives Lost, and $50. ono
ln PROPERTY.


result of a clearly understood accident.
The cenveyors which carry the seed from
the wareroOm to the gins had become
choked and the mill was stopped TO rem
edy this. Mr.. Brown, the night foreman
aud engineer, and Mr.. Fox, giuuer. had
passed into the gin room, where a negro
boy by the name of Abe Jones appears to
have been in immediate charge. The hand
which run the gin had been thrown of.
and these three parties were near the
trap" OF hole in the floor, through which
the lint cotton from the gin dropped down
Into the lint rOom. Dir. Brown had or
dered the negro boy into this tran" TO
the lint room to push the accumulated
cotton aside, and turned, in STOPPING
posture, to readjust the band, Sc. While
thus engaged he set his lamp on the foOr,
within about two feet OF this trap" or
aperture to the lint room. Having ad-
justed the band, he shouted to the boy in
the hole 10 hurry out, he wanted to start
the mill. The boy to get out of this bols and
back into the gin room had to catch h.
arms on the gin floor and thus raise his
body. When he threw his arms out to
/ thus raise himself, it is thought that be
knocked Browns lantern over. AT any
rate when Brown turned, the lamp was
turned over the oil rSnning out, and bats
Of cotton on the gin floor on FIRE. Brown
seized some sacks and manfully an des
perately attempted to smother the hame,
but it spread with the rapidity Of powder.
and almost in the twinkling of an eye
found Its way into the lint room. From
that moment the destruction of the entire
property was 4 fOregone fact BY the time
the horror stricken people Of the town
were aroused, this vast structure, cover
ing almost an acre of ground was com
plete mass of flames, flashing in frightfui
fury every surrounding, and defying
every possible human exertion to stay its
fearful work of destruction. This i'm
mense building, with 1900 tons of cotton
seed, made a most horrible and frightful
scene, and the knowledge that human
beings we're being burned alive, added
terror to the heart-rendiug picture. The
light was seen aud located Gfteen miles
distant, and next morning many country
men for miles around came TO town TO see
and know. In addition to the Oil Mill
four other buildings we're oORsumed-a
large two-and-a-hslf story boarding house
and three small frames. Upon this latter
property there was no insurance. The
boarding house was owned by Tyler s
Harness, and kept by
MRS. LEWIS PERSON,
who lost her life in the flames. She was
very estimsble aad worthy German lady
"A widow-whose husband had died only
some two weeks previous. At the first
alarm of fire she was up, and had run ali
| through her own building waking up her
children and bOarders, and all had .esoap
ed. She had IS boarders, most OisshOm
slept in the building. This pooS< for
tunate women, in her terror, att1hpted
to pass from the rear door of her own
house to stable for the purpose. it is
supposed, of saving her cows, when the
flames from the Oil Mill envelOped her.
Her body, when found, was so burned and
charred that 1t was not recognizable, ex
cept By ring which she wore. She leaves
four children to mourn her loss.
The body of
ABE JONES,
the young colored bog burned in the lint
room, was plainly visible through the
flames the night of the FIRE, but could not
be reached until Saturday evening, when
it was taken charge of by the proper off
GERS, and buried. He was from Mobile.
Ala, and known to but very few Hickman
colored people.
THE LOSSES.
The actual value of the Oil Mill, seed in
wareroom, sc, will foot up between $50,
600 aud $50, 900; and upon this they had
S32, 600 insurance, placed in good COM
panies. OF the 1900 tons of seel they
will save probably 500 tons. Much of the
machinery will not be fetal loss Their
actual loss is estimated at about so OOO-
The other buildings will aggregate an ad-
ditional loss of several thousand dollars.
/ In addition to the loss of property and
/ lives, some parties were
SEVERELY BURNED.
/ Mr.. Brown, in attempting to smother the
/ flames, had his hands and arms badly
burned, and will be disabled from work
for some time. Mr.. Emile Shafer, an old
man, was badly burned.
Mr.. j. F. Campbell, the partner in
charge of the Hickman Mills. ran very
narrow risk, and displayed great presence
of mind and bravery. While the build
ing was in flames and the roof falling in
many places, he entered the Office, unlock
ed the safe and removed the books mon
} ey, sc. On his second entrance he re.
locked the safe, threw the combination
and escaped through perfect shower OF
falling fire, the office roof falling just as
he reached the outer door.
THE WORK OF REBUILDtxG.
} Mr.. Robt. Thompson. President of the
Company interviewed in Nashville, said
"That as soon as the necessary arrange
ments could be made the work OF rebuild
ing the Hickman Mills would be com
meneed." Mr.. Campbell, the partner in
charge at Hickman, corroborates this
view. He thinks that because of the
trouble had from the sliding Of the hill
on the old ground that exactly the same
location may not be chosen. Mr.. Thomp
son, and perhaps others of the company
= will visit Hickman this week, and takC
u in he situation, when particulars will bc
more definitely known.
The Oil Mill was valuable industry Il
Hickman, and will prove great loss tt
: our interests. The deepest sympathy
pervades all because Of the great misfor
!, tune, and the town and people will DE-
anything reasonable to encourage its re
building, not only from business interests
but because of their sympathy for the mis-
: fortune and the very high esteem in which
the owners Of the Mill are held by all oui