The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1883-10-18
Factory an Fire

The Pulaski Cotton and Wooden
Mills escaped most marvelously
from total obstruction by fire last
Friday night. That the building
was saved after the flames had got
ton under Roadway seems almost
miraculous and it was only accom-
plished by extraordinary exer-
tions. The alarm was sounded
about half past twelve clock. For
some time previous Mr.. Stevenson,
the Waterman, had smelt smoke
and had made repeated search
to discover its origin, but could not
find it. Finally the hidden spark
developed into bright flame and
almost as quick as lightning the
entire wool room was ablaze. The
fire spread rapidly from one room
to another, finding ready vehicles
in the dry lint that was sticking to
walls and floors and the cotton ma
terials that were stored in. the vari-
Gus apartments, and in an incon-
ceivably short time the flames had
leaped from the ground floor to the
third story and almost the whole
building inside was full of fire and
smoke. Mr.. Stevenson ran to give
the alarm by ringing the bell, but
in few minutes the bell cord was
burnt in two while he had hold of
it. He resorted to the steam whis-
tie and aroused the factory hands
who soon came to his assistance.
The people up town were aroused
by the ringing OF. the city bell and a
large crowd was on theground direct
ly. By this time the fire was in such
Roadway that there seemed not
even the shadow of a hope of check
ing it, but everybody went to work
in earnest. The factory women
brought water in dish pans, tin
cups, &C., while the men stood in
the doors and windows and dashed
the water inside until the heat was
so diminished they could enter and
work more effectually. They
were deprived of the use of the
steam pumps and hose, by reasons
of the fact the steam was exhausted
in blowing the alarm whistle,
and the only means of throwing
water was by hand. Finally, con-
trary to all expectation, the flames
were extinguished and the building
was saved, though considerably
damaged. In the wool room where
the fire originated the greasy floor,
the wooden partition walls and the
window and door facings were all
chared, and almost all the window
panes in the building, particularly
in the first and second stories, were
broken by the heat and some of
them seemed actually to have be-
gun to melt. But the damage to
the building itself IS comparatively
small when considered in connection
with other losses. Quantities of
new material, wool and cotton,
goods that were ready for market,
and that which was yet in the
looms were consumed and more or
less damaged. The biggest item in
the list of losses, however, is the
damage done to the machinery.
This can not be accurately estimat-
ed at present and may be greater
than is now apprehended. Hundreds
of feet of very costly betting was
burnt, the wool cards were seriously
damaged by the fire and the ma
chinery in the spinning room and
elsewhere is badly injured by rust
caused by the water that was used
putting out the fire. An Apr oxi-
nation of the total damage is from
four to five thousand dollars which
is covered by insurance in various
companies represented by the local
board of underwriters.
Remarkable as it may seem, there
was barrel of oil in one corner OF
the wool room, very close to where
the fire started, and although the
barrel was charred on the ends and
sides, so that you could scrape off
great flakes of coal, the oil did not
ignite. If it had there would have
been no possible chance of saving
the factory. The heat was so in
tense in the engine room that the
solder was melted on a tin gutter
that happened to be laying across
the joists some twenty feet from
where the floor Of the second story
was burning.
The factory hands, men, women
and children, deserve and receive
great praise for their untiring ex-
ertIons to save the mills under such
circumstances.