The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-12-04
SERIOUS LOSSES BY FIRE.
Burning of the Barnum Wire Works at
Detroit, Causinga Loss of $26O,0O0.
List Of the Losing Insurance Companies-De-
structiOn of the Largest Saw-Mill in the
World-$1O0,0O 900 Loss at New York.

DETROIT. Dec. 3-This morning, at 6 o'clock,
fire broke out in the stock room of the Barnum
wire works There was delay of fully ten
minutes before an alarm could be turned in, an d
the fire spread with great rapidity. Three
alarms were sent in and half a dozen engines
called. but the whole building was a mass of
flames before they arrived. gale of wind from
the west famed the flames into fury; huge
cinders were hurled high into the air and car
ried blocks away, and for time it seemed that
the whole neighborhood was doomed. The
efforts OF the fire department were devoted
chiefly to saving the property of the neighbor-
hood, it being impossible to save the
wire works Notwithstanding the hard
work of the fremen. the fire
spread to Howard street. The men were com
PEELED to retreat before the flames with scorched
hands, faces and burnt clothes The heat was
intense, and set fire to three double two story
houses, which were about half consumed before
the m en- could get to work On their rear. The
occupants had been able to move most of their
furniture to place of safety. These houses
were valued at about s. 600. and were Insured
for $4,000 After the fire in the works had
burned for about an hour the walls began to fall,
and the firemen had many narrow escapes The
works are almost entire loss The building
was valued at $112 000 the stock at $50, 900,
and the machinery at $780, OOO The insurance is
as follows:
Scottish Union, Citizens of New York, Nor
witch Union, Niagara. Howard Peoples of New
York, Lion and London Assurance S., 600 each;
Springfield. and MICHIGAN Fire and Marine SD, :
500 each; New York Alliance, So 200; Sun of Cal
ma Ton
of North America, Fire Insurance Association,
Imperial. So, 900 each; Royal Guardian, Wash
ington, Queen. American of New Jersey, United
Firemens, National of New Jersey, Transat
lantic, Boylston Mutual, National of Hartford,
Security, American Central, Union of Philadel
phia, Home Mutual of California, Buffalo Ger
man. Northwest National, Mercantile of New
York, Peoples of Pittsburg, Flremens Fund,
each, 81, 800; German of Cincinnati, Newark.
Flremen's of Dayton, Pennsylvania, EACH ST.,
800; Providence of Washington. London and
Provir cial Grand Rapids, $500 each; total.
SIG, 700.
Two hundred men are thrown out of employ
ment. The history of the Barnum wire works
has been of unusual interest in business circles
throughout the country. The company was in
corporated In the spring of 1882. with a capital
of $3.50 000 which was later increased to $780,
OOO Their prosperity seemed unlimited, and in
December, 1883 a new company was organized
on broader basis. with capital of $780, 000 A
large establishment was built on Wabash
nue. in this city, in the spring of 1884, and
branch factories and sales-rooms were es.ab-
lished in Chicago and Windsor. In July. 1884,
a large number of attachments were levied on
the works, for amounts varying from
$500 to $4,000, and it was charged that
the Indebtedness had been contracted by fraudu-
lent representations. Eight suits were begun
against the company in the Superior Court and
two in the Circuit. In consequence, the COM
pany assigned on July g. 1884, to Abram L.
Stebbins, who was subsequently made receiver
by order OF the court. AT the time of the failure
the assets were $464, 644, and the liabili-
ties $4,000 Soon after the failure
combination of capitalists known
as the Syndicate" bought up the
entire Indebtedness of the concern for fifty cents
on the dollar. Pressing claims were paid, but
the company was not out of trouble. A few who
did not go into the syndicate claimed that the
receiver had conspired to defeat their claims
Suits and counter-suits were commenced in all
the local courts, and these are now pending in
the Supreme Court. Recently an effort was
made to sell the works. but an order from court
stopped the sale.