Morning journal and courier., 1883-07-17
The Wire Mill Fire.

The Tnsurance Losses The Water Sup
 ply-The Reasons Why R Steamer was
 Not Sent From this City.
 On the Wire Mill buildings and stock which were burned on Sunday evening the insurances were as follows: On the stock the Hanover had $2, 800 Insurance Com- pany of North America, $2, 2,50O; Williams burg City, $2,50O; Transatlantic, $2,5OO l; British America, $2,5OO; Imperial, $5,ooO i; Pennsylvania, $2,5OO; Royal, $3,OOO; Standard, $2,0OO; Howard, $2, 800; making total of $27, 800. On the building and ma chinery the New York Mutual had $7, 500 i; Htna, $2,95 Phoenix, of London; $2. $50; !; Lancashire, $2,95O; German American, 3D. 95O Scottish Union and National, $2,950 i; Fire Insurance association, $1, ITO; Traders, $1,77o Connecticut, $1,77o; Orient $1,- ITO; Manufacturers, $1,770; London and Lancashire. $1,77 Phoenix, New York, $1, ,445 First National, $885 Commerce, $S85 Atlantic, $885 making a total or $37, ,OOO and grand total of $64, 800.
 There was much complaint at the fire be- cause of the lack of water and it was said that this was owing to the fact that the water company had shut of the supply Sun day morning in order to make repairs in the man. Oup6FlnGeuu6AS OA SAO VoeOA company spiritedly denied yesterday that the water was shut of from the scene of the fire. He said: ''The water was turned off at o'clock Sunday morning and was turned on again at Il o'clock that morn ing. There was as much water there Sunday night as there ever was. am perfectly aware that the water supply Is entirely inadequate for fire purposes But that is not our fault. The trouble lies with the poor connections that they have with the water main three inch iron pipe 5000 feet long, laid ten years ago and full ot zorro sion, is their only supply pipe. There IS one hydrant on the grounds, but It was only few Sundays ago that went over there ana l tested the hydrant and found that 1t would pump only sixty gallons per minute. Any body who knows anything about fire matters knows how poor a supply that is.
 MT. Grannis further said that water was running through the pipe after II a. m. Sunday as usual, and that if no water came from the hydrant when water was wanted to put out the fire it was probably because the water that came through it was being used up in the mill as fast as it came; and that in any case the supply from the pipe was totally inadequate for fire purposes.
 Fire Marshal Kennedy, the acting chief in the absence of Chief Hendrick, did not send 8 fire steamer because on investigating, which was done at a very early stage after the gre
 
 to send over steamer. He found that it was doubtful if the steamer could get up and down the hills to get to the fire, and that there was no water supply for steamer to operate with unless it took the river water, and it was very doubtful if there was any place where g steamer could get at the water. If he had sent one and the steamer should have been wrecked he considered that the city would hold him responsible, the fire being out of the city.
 Yesterday an engine was sent to put out the fire in pile of 400 or 800 tons of coal which was still burning. The engine. took up it's position on the new stone wharf built by MT. Wheeler and from thence operated on the fire Had the fire marshal known of ] this wharf he might have Ventured to order steamer to the fire.
 The works will be rebuilt at once, as soon as the insurances are paid and the builders can contract for and erect the buildings, but this will take three months at least. In the meantime 400 hands will be out of employ ment.