St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-03-05
Total on stock. $40, 900
on BUILDINGS:
Total on Buildings and stock. ...... $4,000

Total on Buildings and stock....... $4,000
A MEETING OF THE STOCKHOLDERS
of the ST. Paul pillow works, destroyed by fire
Tuesday night, was held yesterday afternoon,
nearly all the shareholders being in attend
ance. The matter Of insurance first came
up and it was decided that no action with
regard to the reconstruction Of the works
should be taken until after the losses had
been adjusted. The propriety OF turning the
unfinished contracts over to the Harvester
Works company was discussed incidentally,
but for the reason stated no action was
taken.
In conversation with Hon. William Daw-
son, the treasurer of the company, last night,
that gentleman said that 1t had not been de-
cided whether or not the works would be
rebuilt. The original plant, he said, was
owned by the old company and leased TO the
present corporation. The plant cost about
$9S, coo. and he thought it could be replaced
for S25, 900 or $4,000 According to Mr.
Lunu the loss would be in the neighborhood
of S35, 900, aside from the insurance, which
was $4,000 The business had been very
prosperous under the new management and
the stockholders were satisfied with their in
yestment.
1t is estimated that nearly hundred me-
chanics were thrown out OF work by the fire,
and as the business was paying good profits,
il Is thought the works will be reconstructed.
WHAT ALLIED THE ENGINE.
There are two circumstances connected
with the handling of the fire with the facts Of
which the public ought to be acquainted.
First the cistern was out of water, and sec
ond the rebuilt Hope engine proved unser-
yiceable. In regard to the cistern 1t was
thought at first that it had been disarranged
by accident; but further Investigation by
Assistant Chief jackson early yesterday
morning showed that the trouble was in the
bending of an iron arm ature through which
the valve rod runs, DETECTING the rod out If
its course and leading II away from the valve.
To straghteu this armaturc required three or
four heavy blows with n hammer, which
seemed To indicate that considerable force
had been required 20 bend It in the first
place, and that II could have hardly been
done accidentally. II is a fact that in a
former inspection of these cisterns il was
found that the same condition of things ex-
listed In the one near the Nelson lumber
works This was remedied, and two weeks
ago an inspection Of the csterns showed they
were in good order In regard to the failure
OF the engine to perform its duty, it Is stated
that trouble was first occasioued by low water
In the boiler, and later by some unknown
cause, as on yesterday it was tested thoroughly
By three engineers and found TO work all
right It's failure to respond to the demand
made upon II the previous evening is a
mystery, the solution of which will depend
PROBABLY on one Of two ypotheses-incom-
potency of the engineer or an obscure disar.
rangement Of the machinery. Were 1t not
for these two unfortunate circumstances.
which are being further Investigated, the
assistant chief is confident that he would
have been able TO prevent large part of the
damage done. There has been complaint
that he did not turn In general alarm when
he found himself unable to cope
with the FIRE. The fact was that
general alarm would have called
three more engines to the FIRE. only one Of
which could have been used, while it would
have LEFT the central part of the eitv unpro-
tee,ed. Instead Of doing this be telephoued
for the one engine that could be 81 service
Chief Black was at home sick AIDED at the
time Of the Gre.