The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-08-31
THE FIRE FIEND.
The Black Hawk Paper Compa-
ny's Mill Destroyed.
The Big Blaze at Milan last
Evening.
The Loss, Insurance, Etc..---sketch OF
the Company and Enterprise.

Fire, which has made Milan the scent
of its dread and destruction so many
times within the last ten years, and de
prived the city of large portion of it
vitality at each visit has again destroyed
one of its eDterprising industries.
The mill property of the BlackhawE
Paper company was burned to the ground
between IL and 10 o'clock last night, and
all that remains today to mark the spot
where a thriving institution stood yester-
day. is the smouldering ruins of mill and
machinery. The
FIRE WAS DISCOVERED
at 1915 o'clock, when the wife of Engi>
neer Smith, whose house is not dozen
yards from the mill, was awakened by
the smell of smoke. She Immediately
alarmed her husband, and he dressed
himself, went out and saw the flames is
suing from the engine room on the south
of the mill. With all possible haste he
proceeded to Milan giving the alarm as he
went, but before the inhabitants could be
aroused to realization of the state of
affairs the entire mill was
ONE MASS OF FIRE.
One citizen rushed to the bell used to
start the street cars in Milan, and pulled
the rope so vigorously that it became
loesened in its socket and came down
with crash. 1t was about IL O'Clock
that Bridge Tender Sweeney was aroused
by the heat beating in upon his face. He
went to the window. and discovered the
mill was developed in flames He hur-
ried out. to see the roof cave in, aud an
instant later the air was filled with
burning tim5ers. One lodged on the dam
north of the mill, and set fire to it, but
the water rushing over quenched it. A
great mass of burning boards fell in the
water near the bridge across the canal.
and but for the efforts of a watchman
which Mr., Sweeney had stationed there,
the bridge must have fallen prey to the
devouring element. In less than fifteen
minutes from the time the alarm was
given, almost the entire populace of Mi
Ian was at the scene, but it was too late
to save the mill, as no water was availa>
BILE for service, and attention was turned
to saving the household effects of Mr..
John Smith. the engineer, his house be-
ing apparently doomed to destruction,
but it was fortunate, however, in escap-
ing.
Mr.. B. F. Ramsey. superintendent of
the mill. arrived while the fire was raging
most terrifically, and dashing into the
office opened the safe and rescued the
books and accounts of the company. but
while attempting to open the money
drawer in The safe WIS
DRIVEN BACK BY THE FLAMES
and was obliged to close the safe door,
turn the combination. and get out of the
building. The burning mill lighted up the
heavens for miles around From Rock
Island it had the appearance of a prairie
fire. Ii was, in fact.
BRILLIANT ILLUMINATION,
many thousands of dol1
lars were involved in producing it. 1t
was about 3 o'clock when the fire died
away and the citizens of Milan sought their
couches again, but a visit to the scene
this morning by an ARGUS reporter found
the ruins still smoking. The machinery
was totally destroyed. a large portion of
it being in the canal where it fell when
the mill gave way. The engines are a
loss, but there is possibility of the boil
ers being saved The
CAUSE OF THE FIRE
cannot be fully ascertained. Some at
tribute it to spontaneous combustion eth
cr in the piles of slack near by, or in the
quantity of straw stored in the
mill, while still others say ihcendiarism
The latter is probably the least plausible,
as there is no reason to think such is prob
able. There were no discharged men,
nor any who were known to have an
emnity towards the company. Mr.. J.
NJ Montgom, ry, the manager. thinks that
a tramp may have gone to sleep in the
straw stored in the building and that
spark from his pipe caused the destruc-
ton.
THE LOSS AND INSURANCE.
The loss is estimated at between S40,-
900 and $42, 900, itemized as follows: