Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-12-12
"HOT WHISKY"
GIBSOS'S DlSTlLLEkY DESTROYED.
Flames Consume Thoueands Of Rarrels of
L,q"Or-Loss Hall . Miliion-A Mau
Fatally Burned.

Flames Consume Thoussnds Of Barrels of
L,qror-Loss Halt = Miliion-A Mau
Fatally Burned.
About half-past o'clock Monday MORN
ing the copper still, containing about
twenty-five barrels of whisky, a: Gibson
ton mills, near Belle Vernon in the west
ern part Of the state exploded, fatally in
juring William Lucas, totally destroying
the main building and No. United States
warehouse containing 1900 barrels of
whisky belonging to different parties.
The United States warehouses Nos. 2 and
3, containing 900 barrels, were also on
fire, but by the extraordinary exertiOns Of
the men and fire apparatus these buildings
were saved from destruction. The fire
burned all night. The whisky flowed ont
of the buildings in blue flames and ran
into the river. At 0 o'clock there was a
terrible explosion, and Immediately fol-
lowing the report All immense column of
fro shot several hundred feet into the air.
The erection of the Gibson distillery was
commenced in 1856 and finished in 1862
the buildings being continually enlarged
and added to between those years unti!
finally tic establishment was one of the
largest in the United States. The build
"CiC S"AC W " uiUSOu
the firm is composed OF Messrs. Gibson,
headquarters being in Philadelphia. The
doors, and were as nearly fire proof as it
was possible to make theE.
An effective fire brigade, composed of
men working in the distillery, is one of the
| features Of Belle Vernon. The brigade did
NJ tho Tn t,cS
by fire is figured up as follows Four thou
sand barrels OF whisky in The bonded ware,
| house, $l60, coo $1,000 bushels of grain,
So, 600, and buildings destroyed, $3.50.
OOO The total loss, however. j., hot less
than ha!fa million of dollars. The iam
age is fully covered by Insurance, mostly
in Philadelphia companies, though Pitts
burgh will suffer TO some extent. Tie
| books Of Collector Case show that in the
three warehouses weGc stored 81 600, ,OO0
| gallons of whisky. The product OF dis
tillery was worth S41G,0OO per month.
The government vii! not exact tho tax on
the whisky destroyed and the government
loss is estimated at $780, Oo0. The firm
has always done large exporting trade
Only Il few days ago 100 birre:s Of whisky
were shipped to Bremen
| From Mr.. L. II. Boyle, bookkeepCr o:
the distil!ery, it is learned thai the origin
of the fire is not definitely known. Viii
liam Lucas, an cid and faithful employed.
was seen t. leave the gaugers Office at
hall. past five o'clock in the morning, with
a close lantern, and in few minutes
thereafter loud explosion was heard in
side the main distillery. The flames burst
out and at once envelnped the building, II
was about half an hour before Lucas was
rescued, when he was taken out and found
to be almost dead. His injuries are proba
bly, fatal. The fire was caused from the
explosion of large copper still but
whether from any accident from the laml
cannt be told. The main distillery anG
warehouse burned all day. The adjacent
warehouses, of which there are seven, dit
not take fire, because they are Of solit
stOne. The distillery gave employment t.
fifty MEN. who are thrown out of employ
ment. There are 1900 head of hogs wnos
supply of swill is suddenly cut short
They are owned BY James Waite, Of Irwin
Pa. Few distilleries had better ouildins:
or equipmen is. It's capacity was abou
fifty barrels per day. 1t was built b!
John Gibson, father ui Henry G. Gibson
Of the present company. The books
papers, ETC., together with 500 iii none.
were locked up in a barn and safe, an
passed through the fire unharmed.