Morning journal and courier., 1883-07-28
The Bridgeport Fire.

After the BIaze-The Ruins-PrOperfy
 Saved-The Assurance Losses.
 Yesterday morning the five safes in the of flee of the Howe Sewing Machine company were opened and the books were found in good condition. The furniture in the office was saved. The large building saved was used for storage purposes, and the foundry and smithy and an unoceupied building were saved. Nr. William Thorne, of Howes block, was one of the first who saw the fire, and several others saw it soon after when it was small blaze. Ten minutes elapsed be-
 fore the alarm could be given and then the fire was well started.
 The insurance losses of the Howe Sewing Machine manufactory fire upon the burned portion amount to $27O, 900, divided among
 fifty. five companies as follows: Continental, $5 ,OOO; Hanover, $7,5OO; Germania, ST.
 500; Imperial, $7, ,5O0; Northern, $5,OOO ; American, N. Y., $5,OOO; Niagara, $5,Oo0 :; Fire Insurance association, 5000; Lon don, $5,0O0; American, Pa, $5,O00 i; Mechanic, $2, 800; Northwestern, &, ,5OO l; American, NJ, $2. 500; Orient. Hartford, $5, OOO Fire Assurance company. Pa, S, ,OOO i; National, Hartford, 5000; Prescott, Bos- ton, $2.5OO; New York Bowery, $2,5oo i; Rochester German, B., 300; Firemen's Fund, Cal, $2,5Oo; Equitable, Rhode Island, $2, 800; Commerce, Albany, $2,5Oo :; OOmmSIc1al, Ns 4sq PA10OO; IFOV1Q0uC0t Washington, R. T., $2, 800; Standard, N. Y, $2, 500; Shoe and Leather, Boston, $2, 500 ];
 Westchester, N. Y., $2, ,5O0 City of London, $2,50O; Franklin, Pa, $5,0OO; Union, Penn, $5,OOO Williamsburg City, N. Y, $3. 75o Commercial Union, Eng, $7,5OO; Queens, Eng: $7 800; MetropOle, Paris, $2, 500; Pho- nix, Hartford, $7, 800 ,. Ro 3al, Eng, $S, 750; Scottish Union and National. $1O, GOO; Etna, Hartford, of Hartford, $3o, ,OO0; Howard, N Y, &, 900 New Hampshire, $5,OO0; Ger man American, N. Y., $5,O Insurance Company of North America, Pa, $5, 600 Phoenix, Brooklyn, $5,OoO; Pennsylvania, $5, Connecticut, Hartford, 5000 British < Mercantile. England, $5,ooo London, Lancashire, Eng, $5, Liver pool, London & Globe, $10, ,O0o; TransatIan- tic, Germany, $2,50O; Norwich Union, Eng land, $2, 500; London $ Provincial, Eng, $2, 500; Standard, England, $2, 500; Nor walk, $2,50O. Upon the whole concern of the company WAS an insurance of $425, ,000, all of which was effected through MT. James Staples agency.
 The loss will reach nearly half million dollars, being $4OO,000 on the machinery and tools, without the buildings and fixed plant. Tho buildings might perhaps be re- placed for S75, ,OOO.
 The new machine which the Howe compa- ny have been making has sold very rapidly, and there were but 400 stored in the factory, 15O of which were taken out. All the iron and wood patterns were saved, being stored in the foundry and in the freIroof building on Kossuth street, which was connected with the Howe street structure by long iron bridge. Contained in this place are also be- tween 5O,OOO and 5000 parts of all the ma chimes which have ever been made in the fac tory.
 The number of operatives thrown out of employment is about 400 and the fire is par ticularly bad for them and the company also as the company, which had been financially for some time, had reached po sition where they were making money and were on the road to sound basis and fnan- cial prosperity. The real loss is the ma chinery. Two engines remain and with the large supply of parts on hand work could be readily resumed if the apparatus for manu- were partially intact.
 The fire marshal, Mir. Morgan, began an investigation of the cause of the fire yester- day morning He heard the testimony under oath of Thorme and the boy Maylin and l others, and thoroughly sifted the matter in | his usual prompt manner. He came to the l conclusion that the fire was due to sponta- l neous combustion.
 great many of the employees lost personal | of more or less value, and Mir. 1 Robert Ross of West Stratford, who had | the polishing contract in the factory, safer 1 sd quite heavily. He had $3, ,0O0 in money | which he left in a desk in his room. He | made an attempt to get at it, but the smoke | lrove him back, and it was consumed.
 Secretary ParmIey said yesterday morning | hat about $1OO, eco worth of material, work n progress and finished goods were in the actory, and that the loss on machinery and ools was over $500, 900. He was unable to Iay anything regarding the future action of he company, and nothing would be certain y known about that until after meeting of he directors.