Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-10-30
THE FIRE FlEND.
A Large Mill in Fall River Destroyed
Mo Lives Lost.
A Heavy Blow to the Operatives and
Stockholders.
Over Five Hundred Hands Thrown
Out Of Employment.
L o 8 8, 81 900 o.

FALL RIVER. Oct 2S.
About 8 80 T. NJ. fire was discovered in
the picker house of the Flint Mill. When
first discovered the flames were issuing from
the belt box of the main belt in the engine
room in the lower story of the picker house
and spread like lightning rapidly along the
belt to the upper story. and in less time than
it takes TO describe flames were bursting forth
from every story. The mill was a magnifi-
cent structure of granite, five stories high.
built in 1872. and constructed and equipped
at cost of over $500, 900. The main build
ing was 800 feet long by "a feet wide. The
picker house which adjoined the centre of
the east eide of the mill, was also of granite
and three stories high, with engine ard boiler
house on the FIRST floor. When the fire was
fret discovered what few employees were in
the mill Immediately made every effort to
extinguish the flames, but without success.
1t being Saturday afternoon all the en-
ployes had gone home nearly an hour before
and 80 the regular fire department. of the
mill was not available to handle the force
pumps and hydrants with which 700 was sup
piled. In fifteen minutes after the alarm
was sounded, which was directly after the
Ere was discovered, the lower story of the
main mill was burning fercely, the flames
we're issuing from the roof and every floor of
the mill on the side next to the picker house
was burning 6ercely. The flames followed
the main belt through every door, caught on
| the belts in every room and flew along the
floor, oily waste, lint and cloth adding fuel
to the hre. After the first alarm the second
was sounded Immediately, followed by
third, calling out the entire fire department.
and extra horses were sent for the reserve
engines and hose reels not in active COM
mission, and every piece of fire apparatus in
the city was put into service. Less
| than half an hour after the first alarm it be-
came apparent that the mill was doomed.
Directly opposite the burning mill was the
Wampanoag mill, another massive granite
structure, separated from it BY only $50 feet.
A strong northeast wind blew a cloud Of
burning cinders straight against it and the
mill began to blacken with heat, and it
| seemed At one time as if this mill was also
doomed and word was telegraphed to
New Bedford, Taunton and Newport for as
| sistance. The frsmen worked heroically
and deluged the sides of the mill with we'll
directed streams and saved the mill
| Meanwhile the fire raging in the Flint
| kept gaining Roadway in spite of the efforts
| to check it. Soon after o'clock the entire
| south end of the mill was burning, the floors
began to fall and the walls fell in. Then the
| wind changed to the east and the fire which
had been bursting in fitful jets from the
! north half, leaped from every window and
the entire structure was in blaze. The
| scene at $50 was magnificent beyond de-
cription, the wind carried the blazing clouds
| of sparks q distance of nearly a quarter of
mile. The flames were leaping full so
| feet in the air and the entire mill was
seething furnace, against which the streams
of water were of no avail. Scores of streams
we're directed at the fire, but the water be-
| fore reaching the hurp ,hava rI,<
by the flames and hurled back and went skv-
wards in great clouds of steam. Although
evident no human efforts could save any
part of the mill, the firemen continued to
pour floods of water upon the fire to hold it
| in check and prevent further spread. In
this they were successful.
| Wampanoag Mill was saved with only
slight damage, as also were the tenement
houses. the nearest of which were less than
100 feet from the burning mill. The heat
was so intense that the walls of houses 1000
feet away were heated, and the paint blistered
and cracked. Burning masses of cinders fell
on the roofs, and the occupants of some 20
tenements in the vicinity began to move out
furniture, but the fremen succeeded in saving
every one of these. At 7.45 the north end
of the mill fell in and the granite blocks were
hurled over 100 feet. The entire roof and
every floor had then fallen, and at 9 O'Clock
only fragments of the bare walls of the main
mill were standing. The fremen are still at
work, and at 10 it looks as if the fire would
! burn all night. The total loss, including
mill, machinery and goods in process OF
manufacture, will be very near 81 ZOO, 900,
There Is an insurance amounting to $780,
900, all in Mutual companies in Boston, Prov
| idence and this city. The mill had a capital
| OF S6OO,OOO and large amount of the stock
- hoI hx-r -1<,< ~.
The total number of stockholders s nearly
200. The mill employed 500 hands; had
nearly $4,000 spindles, and had a annual pro-
duction of 10000 900 pieces of print cloths
Its destruction will be heavy blow to oper-
| atives and stockholders alike. The iremen
were greatly annoyed by lack of water which
the city mains did not furnish in sufficient
quantities, and four engines were Obliged to
take water from pond short distance from
the mill. When it was found that the Wam-
panoag Mill was out of danger word was
sent to the other cities that assistance was
not needed, and the apparatus which was in
readiness to be sent went back
FALL RIVER, Oct 20.
The ruins of the Flint Mill are still burn
ing. OF the main mill only the lower sides
and part of the south end remain. and por-
| tions of these threaten to fall. OF the pick
er house in the rear, the upper two stories
s-e gone, the lower story with engine and
boiler room is comparatively uninjured. All
the machinery of the main mill lies with the
roof and floors in the basement, a mass of
burning debris.
Loss, as now given, about 800, 900, placed
in the Mutual companies. Besides this in
surance on the mill. there was an insurance
of 10000 on the profits, and the mill will
receive 500 for each day of stoppxge. The
directors will hold meeting tomorrow, at
| which the question of rebuilding will prob.
ably be acted on. The present outlook, con-
sidering the heavy insurance, is that the
companies will undertake to rebuild the mill
instead Of paying the policies, as it could be
replaced at considerably less than $500, 900.