Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-06-30


lbs snploze- lad iast fstarned - thssf
iabszs n the Gnznd hapits aanafaetariaz
Company : Eorkss, oornsf o. soath ffo1t
aa.d Earle stEesss yesterday afternoon ~hsn
an Aecident hiagi,ensd ~ ths sAipElnz Aad
painting noom @tlieh resalted quite seriously
tor me eompang. A lad II this department
~a- engaged "a DIPPING the ne@ castings
into a Attic of asphAltan, which i ased -
preserve ne iron, ~tsen a hot cassing lgnltsd
ths inhamnabls substance and the flames
l.agsd hi.h ia the room. Two Of the sm-
ployss rushed ~ the SPOT ~ith hand gsensdss
ana 0Ds 0f them, . teamsteF. threw gfeuAds
directly into The hnrnIEg ksttie. when eaus-
sd tue flames % spread IA ali directions. A
soOa ~ Il @as Known the IRE ~ss beyond
control 0f thoes gathered 10 the scene, au
aiafu va turne,f ia from boz -, and the
Fire Department responded prcMpsly
subsequent alarm brought cat Companies
and 5, and It ~as not long tefofe
three steamers and t~O chemical engines
we're Al work battling with the hanes. Dn
acc0unt Of the great distance 60 thr eity
water malns, ths hose companies were unAble
~ yartlelpate directly ia the combat; al
tkOazh every member of the department
worked with q Will aud untlring. The
difficulty OF placing the steamers ~as -
great that the hames bad gained too much
progress to De easily checked, bat after the
large frame ssOring aud manufacturing
rooms aud tho throe-story brick portion
uton the east eide OF Front street,
had been entirely destroyed ths nrefnen
became yictor-. A portion OF the engine
and boiler room, however, was badly dam
aged The foundry, machine stop, BLACK
saith shop. office and one brick store room,
engine and boiler room, ali patterns, aud
large amount Of machinery ia the ourued
portion were saved, and the company will
proceed az once 20 remove the debris, rebuild
and 20 ON with lts work.
The principal stockholders in the company
are ID. Il. Clay. president; Wilder %. Stevens,
y. L. Avery, John K. Stewart, directors, Nj.
Il. Stewart. OF this city, and j. ii. Converse,
of Boston. The company filed articles oil
association Jan. u, 1875, with capital stoc'.
OF $4,000 and purchased the plant knowl,
a. Chubb's foundry. The works have been
extended from time 10 time until the
entire plant valued az about
seventy i've thousand dollar. The los -
estimated 40 80, ,OOo and i partially covered
by an insurance of $4,000; of which 5000
is with the Phoenix Company of New York.
ard $500 with the Scottish Union and
National OF New York, both placed with
Chas. r.. Watkins.
FLYISG CISDERs.
The West Michigan railroad bridge was
the grand stand for the spectators, and II
was we'll filed
Supt Perry and members of the police
force did valiant service IN rescuing and
protecting property and keeping the vast
crowd of sight-seers IN check.
The handsome row of shade trees upon the
west side of Front street saved the residenc :
there from burning, and the trees. although
badly scorched, were not killed.
Jimmy Howell. the Tam O'Shanter of the
police force, proved now hard II WAS 10 give
up the work of a fireman, and, despite his
lameness, kept fine gang of men busily
AT work removing the manufactured goods.
The steamer valley City" from house
No. :, drew Its water from a reservoir upon
the river bank. Ii soon began 10 resemble
a campaign newspaper, however, and threw
mud. Ii was so thick that the water gauges
became clOgged and the machine was re-
moved.
Mr.. Haight, of the Stave Company, think
ing the burning building was his property,
drove his horse through the streets and over
Pearl street bridge at break neck speed.
When ID. Z. Clay drove over the bridge just
behind him people thought he was the last of
a uDeral procession.
A Democrat reporter stood in the street
foamine in the flames. When the whistle
was blowing and the safety-valve was steam
ing fellow scribe cautioned him IN regard
10 his position. LET her bust said he.
I'm here 10 record the fact. :"
ID. y. Clay, notified of the fire by tele-
phone, finished his dinner and drove to the
scene slowly. He took IL all cOolly. When
the office caught on fire the book keeper be-
gan removing the books and furniture. Mr.
Clay ordered him to 90 back and 90 10
work, assuring him II was cooler inside than
outside.
The steamer tom Gibbons" from house
No was the first TO throw a stream. bat
was unfortunate Ia securing it, position.
The heat became 80 intense that the
fremen had to draw the engine
/ out into the river, and when breast deep III
the water they drew the engine to a position
some eight or ten rods further down stream
The fire was pat out by the transfer, and
much valuable time lost. Nearly one thou
sand feet of hose, valued at over 500, was
/ cut Oft from the hremen 10y the flames and
I