The morning news., 1888-03-16
AN ACRE SN EPT BY FIRE
THREE THOUSAND BARRELS OF
ROSIN BURNED.

AO01N % ORANGO
Gordon's Wharf and Naval Stores
Yard the Scene of Disastrous Con-
fagration-An Exploding Lamp Sets
Fire to a Hay Now and Communi-
Gates to a Shedfull OF Turpentine-
$4,000 Worth of Property De-
stroyed-The Individual Losses and
Insurance.
A few minutes before o'clock yesterday
morning an alarm of fire was turned in
from box No 81, at the Lower Hydraulic
Cotton Press. and early risers who were on
the streets saw vast clouds of black smoke
moving southwark from the direction of
the eastern wharves, where large quantities
of naval stores are kept and where a num-
Der of vessels are loading.
The fire proved to be in a large quantity
of naval stores on Gordon's wharf, which is
leased by Mr.. r. F. Harmon, and is located
between the Lower Cotton Press and the
Savannah, Florida and Western railway
wharves. On the wharf were stored about
1900 barrels of rosin, and under the
turpentine shed were 3l2 casks of spirits
turpentine All of the turpentine was
burned and between 1900 and 800 barrels
of resin.
Two watchmen were in charge of the
wharves and yard at the time the fire broke
out They were James Burns and James
Mordecai The fire began in small frame
building south of the wharf and contiguous
10 the yard, which is used on one side as an
office and the other side as a stable where
small quantity of hay was stored.
STARTED FRoMAN EXPLOSION.
Mordecai, one of the watchmen, went into
the able with a lighted lamp, which ex-
ploded and the burning oil spread over the
hay. The blaze communicated with the
building, which was mass of flames in a
very few minutes.
The turpentine shed caught quickly and
the burning turpentine spread over the
yard. The tug Forest City, which was at
the Savannah, Florida and Western Rail
way Company's wharf, along side Of the
Italian bark Madre for the purpose of
showing her up to Gordon's wharf, steamed
up to the scene of the confagraton and in
a very few minutes after her arrival had
two strong streams playing.
When the firemen arrived considerable
portion of the yard was in flames and a
second alarm was sent in calling out the re-
serve force. The fire burned fiercely As
fast as a barrel of rosin became heated it
burst with report like the discharge of a
gun and the hot and blazing rosn
flowed like water into ditch to the south
ward of the yard and into the timber basin
alongside causing the water to boil, and
throwing up great clouds Of steam.
THE FIREMEN DRIVEN BACK.
This and the intense beat made il diff
cult for the firemen to work to advantage.
The wind blew from the northward and
carried dense volumes of smoke over the
fields south of the yard, and over the south
eastern portion of the city.
To the eastward were the works of the
Savannah Guaho Company and the Sa-
vannah Florida and Western Railway
Company's wharves, where the bulk of the
stock of naval stores is kept, and
which were in imminent danger
should the wind shift around
TO the eastward. Supt Fleming, of the Sa-
vannah, Florida and Western railway,
brought a force of 300 hands to the scene,
and they We're set to work removing the
roSin clear of the fire, and their labors saved
considerable property which would other
wise have been destroyed. The hands kept
shoveling sand upon the burning rosin and
ripping up the boards under which the
melting and burning rosin had spread.
At o'clock the fire presented a magnif-
cent sight to the crowds of people, Fully
an acre was covered by one solid mass of
flame and smoke.
THE FIRE UNDER CONTROL.
BY II o'clock the department had the
fire under full control, and there was no
apprehension felt for the adjoining prop
erty. In the neighborhood was a vessel
taking on cotton cargo, which at one time
was in great danger. The most of the
burned rosin was owned by the exporting
house of Messrs Paterson, Downing & CO.
who are insured in the agencies of Foot
man & Co, Haines a. Daniels. c. A. Reitze
and the Commonwealth Insurance Company
In New York.
S. ?. Shotter q Co and Mr. John Tur-
ton had about 200 barrels of rosin burned
They were insured with Dearing & Hull in
the American TRAILING Society.
OF the factors Messrs. Peacock, Hunt q
Co, w. c. jackson & Co, Mcmillan Bros
and Z. T. Roberts are the heaviest losers,
the latter being uninsured. There was
tome insurance also in the agencies repre-
senteI by Messrs James T. Stewart & Co.,
Sullivan q Co, II. T. Bolts & Co., and
Wheatod's agency. and also the Savannah
Fire and Marine Insurance Company.
Nessrs. Ellis y oung & Co. lost only four
barrels spirits turpentine, and H. T. Moore
SS Co. one barrel.
OF the turpentine stored under the shed
19S casks were held by MesSrs. w. c. Jack
son a Co. for d. c. Newton, of No. l on
Central railroad
The total loss on naval stores will be
about Sl0,500, and to the wharf and yard
about 81 800, making a total Of $l3, 600, all
of which is pretty we'll covered.
This Is the first time that the firemen
have ever tackled "A naval stores fire, with
one exception, when the steamer W. t.
Wheless burned a. her dock in the rear of
kelly's building, and then only few bar
refs on the steamer and wharf were
burned. The department handled the fire
admirably, but the timely arrival of the
Forest City aided much in saving the wharf
property. Mr.. Harmon's loss is not verv
heavy, and he energetically set to work at
once clearing up the debris from the burnt
district Immediately to occupy the ground
again. Capt. w. ". Gordon, owner of the
wharf, is fully covered by insurance.
THE SWEEP OF TEE Ax