The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-12-19
Flames Reach Piles of Lumber Outside,
andGO Dangerously Near aGasometer.
Two Firemen Badly lnjured-Loss. $12J. 900,
but the Insurance viii Not Reach 0ne-Third
of that Amount-Scenes and Incidents.

CURED III the Du1ulngS OF the Indianapolis
Wheel Company, on the canal. south of
First street and next to the gas works,
fronting the Big Four tracks. They were
mostly of frame. and well stocked with man.
ufactured aDi raw material. The flames
thus found a nady pathway to all parts of
the plant, one department after another
coming within their sweep. An alarm
from the tower was soon followed by an
other. and then the third. and though it
was but a brief time until all the engines
and fire apparatus were there. the fire.
men found nearly every part of
the plant a mass of flames.
But they went at their work
with . will and soon at all points of adj
vantage streams were turned upon the
burning mass. 1t was evident. however,
from the start that nothing in the es-
tablishment could be saved. Six
engines were at work On the canal side.
two of them being located on the First
street bridge and four along the bank of
the stream. Three streams were poured on
the north walls, two on the south
and two on the east front of the
buildings. The fire covered an extensive
area, as the wheel-works run through from
Mississippi street to the canal and nave a
frontage of Over sixty feet. between First
and Droff S<raaf< Tf tho ~ forfu.-
ate thing in the world that the wind was
blowing almost due north, as
had it been blowing from the
south the %gas-works would have been de-
stroyed. The huge gasometer was blist-
cred on the side next to the fire, and the
chemical paint shriveled and cracked like
rubber. 1t stood the test, however, and
the iron underneath is as good as the day,it
was built. The entire interior of the
wheel works was soon q mass of flames,
through. which could be seen great piles
of blazing wheels, hubs, lumber,
twisted pipes. machinery and shafting. The
natural-gas pipes soon burned through and
their fuel lent its strength to the already
powerful element.
About two hours after the fire started
part of the west wall of a three-story
building fell into the canal, and from
that time on sections of the va
rious walls tumbled at intervals. sending
the hot bricks flying in all directions. For
.tunately. these walls were not within reach
of the crowd. the brick portion of the
works being in the rear and adjoining the
gas-works. At 2:25 the southwest corner
C ~ - - Eo1l - l~-~.-- 49, -
coded by a section of the south wall which
threw a solid mass of bricks within three
feet of the gasometer. Had it struck the
big tank it would hav played sad havoc.
Along the front of the building were
piles of shingles. late and
lumber within twenty feet of the flames.
Back of this material wasa string of freight
cars ON the Big Four sidings. As great
pieces of burning wood raIned down on the
lumber and cars it seemed as if the flames
must spread to them. but the firemen kept
: solid streams playing on all sides and
the fire was forced to remain within
the bounds of the wheel-works plant.
Thousands of people. viewed the fire from
every side, all available places for getting
q good view being crowded. The canal
bank opposite was a favOrite point. as
most of the work of the engines was con-
centrated on the south section. 1t was ap-
parent very soon that the fire could be con-
hned to the Units OF the w~heei.worksif the
1t shifted the damage instead of being S125.-
600 would have run close to half million
as there is not a dollar of insurance
on the gas company's plant and its loss
There were many anxious glances cast at
the great gasometer. which doomed up red
and threatening. The danger of an ex-
p pbS mn WAS s rs1,s f.f Hn all sides !:
was known Superintendent Pear
son had allowed enough gas TO
escape through the main at Mississippi and
Pratt streets, to relieve the pressure. There
tank. and 10000 feet escaped. The
gasometer expanded some ten sheets. or
about $4,000 cubic feet. so that there
s ssiaDsd o altogether a"a 5000 Zoo .m feet ns of
vaded the neighborhood for squares
around and gave the impression in some
quarters that the gasometer had let 90.
superintendent Pearson said there would
ometer would merely have risen to the sur
face ofthe water and the escaping gas burned
underneath. Its capacity is 10000 cubic
feet. The gas-works are as nearly fire
proof as possible.
Reinsurance company viii. carry a risk on
a gas plant. At A. NJ. the flames had got
away with about everything In the works,
and though still blazing away. was
tdpiuil buIulUR ltStll OUT IOT lack OF ma
terial. The ragged pieces of walls stood
out IN bold relief against the glare of
the flames, and presented a picture of ruin
as complete as has ever been witnessed
here.
Origin of the Fire and the Loss.
The fire was first discovered by George
Farr. the night engineer. He had Just
looked at his watch TO see If it was nearing
the time for an inspection of the furnaces,
and at a few minutes after IL o'clock he
2 left the engine room. He bad scarcely
stepped ont into the open air before he
noticed that the southwest corner of the
finishing room was in flames. and he at once
gave the alarm. 1t was here that the fire
originated, although 10 cause could b,
assigned.
The finishing department was located in
a three-story brick building. about fifty
feet from the canal. In 1T also was the
principal factory. where the machinery
plant alone was valued at S20,O COO
While this was burning. the storage
and shipping house. Immediately to
the west and reaching almost TO the edg,
of the canal. took fire and was soon beyond
control. In IL were ten thousand hubs
ready for the market. They were com