The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-11-02
The Flint MIL

IN FLAMES.
FALLS RIVER, MASS, October 2S.-Tht
Flint mill Is burning, and will be almost
total loss. 1t is valued at about $780, 600,
and Is insured for 500, 900. Tho fire caught
from a belt In the packing-room and spi cad
rapidly through the whole building.
SECOND DISPATCH.
FALLS RIVER, October 2S.-About $3.50 p.
m. q fire was discovered in the pickers-
house of the Flint mills. The flames were
discovered ISIS uing from the belt-box of
the main belt in the engine-room in the
lower story of the picker-house and spread
with lightning rapidity along the belt to
the upper story and soon bursting forth in
every story. The mill was a magnificent
structure of granite, five stories high. built
in 1872, and constructed and equipped at a
cost of over $500, 900. The main building
was 800 feet long by "a feet wide. The
the east side of the mill, was also
of granite and three stories
high, with an engine and boiler-house on
the first floor. When first discovered, what
few employees there were in the mill, imme-
diately made every effort to extlnguish the
flames, but without success. 1t being Sat
urday afternoon all employees had gone
home nearly an hour before, and go the
regular fire department of the mill was not
available to handle the force pumps and
hydrants with which the mill was supplied.
In fifteen minutes after the alarm sounded
the upper story of the main mill was burn
ing fiercely and the flames issuing from the
roof and every floor of, the mill
house 10 n' The flames followed the
main belt through every floor, caught
on the belts in every room and flew along
the floors, oily waste, lint and cloth adding
fuel to them. Fifteen minutes after the
first alarm a second was sounded, immedi-
ately followed by a third, this calling out
the entire fire department, and extra horses
were sent for. Reserve engines and hose
reels not in active commission, and every
piece of fire apparat4s in the city, were put
in service. In less than half an hour after
the first alarm, it became apparent the mill
was doomed. Directly opposite the burn
ing mill was the Wampanoag mill, another
massive granite structure, separated from it
blew q cloud of burning cinders
against it,. and the
began to blacken with
heat. 1t seemed at one time as if this mill
also was doomed, and word was telegraphed
to New Bedford, Taunton and Newport tor
The tiremen worked heroically
and deluged the sides of the mill with well
streams of water and saved the
mill. Meantime the fire raging in the Flint
mill kept gaining Roadway in spite of the
efforts to check it. Soon af,er 5 o'clock
the entire south end of the mill was burned,
the floors began to fall and the walls fell in.
Then the wind changed to the east and the
fire, which had been burning in ftful jets
from the northeast, leaped from every win
dow and the entire structure was in a blaze.
Although it was evident that no
human efforts could save any part of the
mill, the fire department continued to pour
floods of water upon the fire to hold the
flames in check. In this they were success
and the Wampanoag mill was saved
with only slight damage, and also were ten
ement houses, the nearest # which were
than 200 feet from the burning mill.
At 7:45 the north end of the mill fell in.
The entire roof and every floor had then fall
ZEN in, and at 8 o'clock only the fragments
Of the bare walls of the mill were standing.
were still at work at 10 o'clock.
Total loss, including the mill, machinery
and goods in process of manufacture, will
be very near one million dollars, and GER
.ainly not less than 100000. There is in
,urance amounting to 100000, all in mu-
,ual companies in Boston, Providence and
city. The mill employed 500 hands,
md had nearly 80. 900 spindles, and had an
annual production of 100000 pieces of
print cloth.