The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-06-09
A DESTRUCTIVE CONFEDERATION.
A Part of the Malleable Iron Works Destroyed,
with a Loss of $50, 600.

A part of the Malleable Iron Works at Haughs
vile, the town across the river west of the city,
was destroyed by fire Saturday evening. The
flames were first discovered about 6:30 o'clock,
in the old building erected by the johnson com
pany, in part of the foundry room near what is
known as the cupola the place where the iron is
first melted, and where fire of intense heat is
kept burning from the beginning of the week
until Saturday afternoon when it is allowed to
die down until time to again resume work The
foreman of this department left everything, as
he supposed in safe condition at o'clock, and
the night Waterman who passed through shortly
afterwards, on his first round through the build
ing, did not notice that there was any danger.
The flames were discovered in the foundry room
in close proximity to the cupola by William
Dukes, clerk in the Office of the works, and
an alarm was sounded by the blowing of the
whistle in the engine room, which called out a
large number of the employees who form al
most the entire population of the town. Buck
cts were brought into use and lines were formed
for passing the water from the cisterns but the
flames had gained so rapidly in their progress
that they could not be extinguished in this way,
and the efforts of the men had little effect. A
telephone message asking for immediate aid was
sent to the fire department headquarters and
companies Nos. l and were sent out by Chief
Webster but during the delay of thirty or forty
minutes in their arrival the flames had spread
over IHG euJlfS UulluiIlSj anu even dItSr Iucy
reached the fire they could do nothing
to prevent its progress because there was no con
venient supply of water.
EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE.
The part of the works destroyed were the old
buildings erected by the Johnson company.
They were of brick, and, with the exception of
the foundry department, were one story in
height. The buildings were purchased from the
johnson company by the Indianapolis Malleable
Iron Company, two years ago for, $4,000. The
property which was destroyed includes the foun-
dry, the engine-room, the shipping room and the
annealingroom. The foundry was two stories
in height and 245 feet long by 60 feet wide The
annealngro room was 100 by 60 feet in size, and
contained considerable stock, besides large
number Of patterns all of which were de-
stroyed. An effort was made to save
some of the gray iron, and to prevent the de-
struction of the engine rooms the most valuable
part of the property, but without any success.
About 9 o'clock the walls fell in upon the ma
chinery with a tremendous crash, and wrecked
all that had not been destroyed by the flames.
The fire department did all that they could and
the chemical was used with some effect, but
they were powerless to prevent the destruction
The fire throws three hundred men and boys out
of employment. Although the new buildings
were not damaged, work cannot be resumed be-
cause the machinery was operated by the engine
in the old building
THE Loss AND INSURANCE.
The loss upon the property destroyed is esti-
mated at 500, 900, but it is thought that it will
be less. The stock and patterns are valued at
$4,000, and the machinery will be large part OF
the loss. 1t will be replaced with as little delay
as possible, but work cannot be resumed for
some tine The works are branch of other
malleable iron works located in Chicago, St.
Louis, Cleveland, San Francisco, Springfield,
Mass, and London. A. A Pope, of Cleveland,
is president of the company, and George I.
Thornton of this city, is the secretary and
treasurer. The property at Haughsville covers
ten acres of ground and the buildings which
were destroyed covered two acres. The in
surance which covers all the property, aggre
gates $92, $50, and is placed by the agency of
Barnard & Sayles, as follows: Traders of Chi
cage, $4,000; Manufacturers, Boston, $1,000;
Citizens, New York, $15, 900; Star, New York,
$40, 600; Westchester, New York, So, 800; Home,
New York. $15, 000 Shoe and Leather, Boston,
SO, $780, Imperial, London, $15, 900, and Phoenix,
Hartford 5000
While drawing water from cistern during
the early part of the fire John Minger was struck
across the face by the breaking of a rope and his
nose was broken