Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-08
ACRES OF FIRE.
HUbbard's Mammoth Ak Fac
tory is Totally Destroyed.
A HALF MILLION DOLLARS
Will Barely Cover the Great Loss SuS-
tained by the Company.
THE ORIGIN REMAINS A MYSTERY.
Hundreds Of Men Are Thrown Idle and
Lose Valuable Tools.
THE ORIGIN REMAINS A MYSTERY.
THE FIRM WAS INSURED FOR s165,OOO

The mellow-toned church bells had scarce
ceased to disturb the calmness of the bright
spring morning, when the harsh jingle of
the ever-dreaded fire alarm broke the still
ness of the Sabbath day and awoke the
echoes of thousand tongues. The wor-
shipper ceased his prayers for moment, the
sluggard turned over in his bed, and host
of others dropped their tasks and counted
one, two, three, pause; one, two, three
four, a second pause, and then one, and
longer stop-341, corner of Forty-eighth
street and the Allegheny Valley Railroad,
the most dreaded box in Lawrenceville, sit
uated in the very midst of a manufacturing
district. A signal from there means fire
and a loss TO all. A brief interval, and
through the streets there rushed many en-
gines with changing gongs.
The call yesterday morning might well
have been dreaded; for, in the brief space of
a few hours, losses to the extent of half
million of dollars had been sustained, and
hundreds fmen had been thrown idle, both
in this city and at Beaver Falls. The
largest ak and shovel factory in the United
States had been totally destroyed by fire.
-FOUR ACRES LAID BARE.
The mammoth works of Hubbard g. Co.,
situated on the corner of Forty-eighth and
A. V. R. R., covering four acres of ground,
were totally destroyed by this fire. The loss
is estimated by the proprietors at $500, ,OOO-
The firm carried about $4,000 insurance,
distributed in various foreign and domestic
companies, through the Arrott agency.
The cause of the fire is a mystery. 1t was
first noticed in the lower part of the saw de-
partment, and thence spread with almost in
credible rapidity until the entire plant was
a mass of flames.
Members of Engine Company No 6. on
Forty-fourth street, noticed the flames, and
had their horses hitched up and in readiness
to start before the first stroke sounded on
the big bell As soon as Assistant Chief
Coates arrived on the grounds he called out
a second district, and also sent out hose
call. 1t was impossible at that point to
handle more engines than this; but fire
boat would have been invaluable in the ser
vice.
There were five two-story frame buildings
on the plot of ground. The largest was the
saw and ak department, building about
70x350 feet. 1t was in the lower part of this
shop that the fire originated.
Situated on a wind-swept river bottom,
the stiff inland breeze blowing across it had
full play upon the flames. With a rush the
flames leaped from one oil-soaked pillar to
another, and, like a devil fish, threw out its
mvriad arms to draw in its prey. In mo-
ment the building was ablaze, and its fate
was sealed.
ALLEYS NO IMPEDIMENT.
Leaping across a narrow alley, the fire
seized upon the machine shop situated on
the left of the first building, while on its
right they engulfed another section of the
plant. In the rear were the stables and the
ak finishing department, the latter contain
ing several huge watts of oil and grease,
furnishing excellent food for the flames.
1t was thought at first that the machine
and hammer shop could be saved; but. after
q hard fight, the fremen had to retire.
Many of the hammers in the shop were
saved, but the timbers beneath them will
have to be replaced,
The offices of the firm at the works were
completely guIted, and a large number of
books and papers are lost
Situated near the works was a small
frame house, owned by the firm, and occu-
u L
man. 1t withstood the flames long enough
to permit much of Mr.. Hubbard's house
hold goods to be removed and then sud-
denly burst into flames 1t was completely
destroyed.
The buildings of McConway & Torley's
foundry, on the opposite side of the street,
were ignited, but, through the efforts of
Chief Coates, the flames here were extin-
guished without any serious loss.
The pattern shop, containing many val
uable patterns, was destroyed. Mr.. Hub
bard, the draughtsman, lost s., 200 worth of
tools.
Manv of the men lost kits of tools valued
at from $50 to S10O each. There were $50
men employed in the works. Nearly ali of
these were skilled workmen. Only about
20 laborers were employed about the works.
HOW FAR-REACHING IT WAS.
The firm was making $500 axes day,
and $50 dozen had been prepared for ship
ment to-day. They now lie on the river
bank, a mass of ruined steel. Six hundred
thousand pounds of shovel stock steel had
lust been received and was badly damaged,
if not totally destroyed. Fifteen thousand
shovel handles were destroyed.
Chief Coates and his men worked hard to
check the flames, and deserve much credit:
but the heat was overpowering. There were
a large number of grindstones in the ak de-
partment. When these were struck by water
after being heated, they burst with loud re-
ports scattering pieces throughout the burn
ing buildings.
The firm is composed of Messrs. c. n.
Hubbard, Charles Lockhart, David Long,
S. A. Rankin add W. A. Frew. Mr.. Hub
bard was on the grounds yesterday after
noon. He said:
"The loss is apparently total. can
hardly even approximate an estimate. 1t
NAV reach $500, 900. The greatest loss is on
the machinery. and stock on hands. We
were Just about to commence shipments.
Some of the machinery has taken us 10 years
to perfect, and it cannot be replaced. The
insurance is between $50, 900 and $500, 900.
think it is S165000. 1t is placed in several
foreign and domestic companies, represented
here by j. w. Arrott & Co., all the men,
bers of whose firm reside down the Ft.
Wayne Railroad at Osborne
Another member of the firm and Manager
Murphy placed their loss at $500, 900, al
though this is said to be overestimated. The
ruin is complete, however, and it is about
as desolate looking spot as can be seen
just at present.
THEY WILL REBUILD SOON.
Mr.. Hubbard also stated that, as soon as
the loss is adjusted and the insurance col
lecUeQ, steps VIII De TAKEN 70 reDullQ the
works. The payroll amounted to $4,000
weekly, and the burning of the works will
seriously depress the neighborhood, as many
of the men lived near the works.
These shops furnished the stock steel for
the Beaver Falls ak mandatory of the
firm, and the latter works will be thrown
idle in consequence. One hundred and fifty
men are employed in these works.
Mr.. b. B. Hubbard, foreman Of the saw
department, stated that six months work
was ruined in his department. Much diff