Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-01-23

Barn aud COnients; Asorses, Cows,
air4s,L, implements 1urned-B.oss
About 81, 900.

A more devastating fire than the one
which destroyed the Large narn OF e, l.
du Pont de Nemoure Il Co., just west oil
the city limits last night could scarcely
be conceived Where an immense dGuo Die
deck barn stood Tuesday, there now re-
mains few blackeued stone walls. OF
the contents OF this large structure, two
halt burned COWS which will have to bs
killed to end their suffering, and pillow,
are all that were gotten out. Seventeen
head OF iine Aiderney cattle, 10 horses,
tons of hny, foel, straw, DO, q crib
1lled with corn, an immense stack of
corn fodder, two Blaighs. two nay wagons,
q buggy, haPness and a large number Of
agricultural implements, were entirely
consumed and nothing bat mass Of
CHARGED embers win here and there
piece of twisted iron or the nm OF
wheul remain "a evidence OF tine property
ueBtoyed.
The fro was discovered about 6.55
o'oionk when a lad named Latham rushed
into Victor Sterling's store and tod him
that tine barn was on fire. MIR. Sterling
tnshed out only to see the flames burning
iletcely within the barn and the tire had
Aiready obtained suohs that it was
no longer safe even to approach the
bNiiNihS. KAT otoEtluS uHlVCheu Ll1 lObT
leading to his stable but the entire in.
terror WAS ablRze while big lunches of
burning bay were dropping contLauaily
from the floor above through the shoot
tbrough which the hay was thrown from
the floor above.
An attempt was made TO effect rescue
OF some of the animals which were
already mad with fright, but in vain, rs
xuI an nd
repidity that everybody was forced back
ana tie immense crowd that had assem-
bled. stood helpleasly around and were
forced to Witness the destruction without
beiug being able TO raise hand to pre-
vent ii. Neither wafer, hose nor fire APP
parntus could be had and il was only by
the herculesn efforts OF some OF the men
that the row OF dwelling houses across
the road, at least 100 feet distant from
the nearest point OF the barn, was saved.
The intense heat biBteFed the door of
the nearest house and their roofs were
kept constantly wet with buckets OF
water. Inc wind was from the north
west ard did not blow directly toward
this dwelling houses or they would have
been destroyed.
Meantime the fire had spread to all
parts of the immense structure and sent
up blsza the reflection from which
could be seen for miles around. People
flocked there by the thousands, and there
were some present from Mt. Cuba, Gen.
treville and even Keunett Square. The
groans Of the horses and COWS In the
burning structure oould be heard as they
rusned around in their mad fright The
burning hay and etrsw falling from the
hoOr above into the stables among the
poor animals, made it rain of living
fire in their midst. The smell of burn.
ing flesh began to be waited through the
air. Then the barn floor fell through
with crash, sending mp column of
tolid flame, aud scattering a myriad OF
burning emoers Into the air.
AT the height OF the Are three COWS
came rushing nut of tue door which az
forded them the only means Of egress.
Those who saw the sight say that they
will never forget 1t. One animal was
literally mass OF fire. Its eyes he'd been
burned ont, its hair and flesh were
emitting the sictening cdor of burned
FISH. Its limbs glowed like live coal :.
The skin and tlssh around the knees had
been burned of, exposing the joints. 1t
walked h few steps, then hesitated, not
knowing whore 10 go, and, taking another
step or two in the direction of the road,
fell over dead. It was literally roasted and
how it could have lived as long as il did
seems marvellous. The csrcRsa from head
to foot was chsrred black through and
through. The other two animals that es-
capped were OF SO badly burned, although
they cannot live.
In about one hour after the fire broke
ont the barn was complete wreck, al
g.. a. III
night. When the wind arose during the
night, the smouldering ruins were scat
tered, to prevent further destruction
The ground surrounding the barn
shows the intense heat OF the FIRE as the
grass is burned for distance Of 40 feet.
A tree which almost touched the building
is bleak, black wreck of its formor self.
The immense stack OF corn fodder which
Wns burned was rs feet high.
The burned barn WAS q double decker
about 80 or 80 feet long and about so
wide and was built OF atone up to the
first story. Adjoining 1t was large
yard in which the cattle were kept. A
part OF the barn next to the store was
rentad by vi tor Sterling and contained
two horses, sleigh, wagon and other
stable accessories. The remainder of the
barn was occupied by the du Points
property. The eight horses here COM
prised four colts and four brood mares.
Col. II. A. du Point owned three colts and
one mare, one fine COLT belonged to
Eugene du Pont, two mares to FranGiH
Il. du Point and the other two animals to
the company. Ali of the farming nipple
ments that were saved from the barn
which was burned on December 26th
we're stored in this barn and so wRB tue
horse which cost 80 much trouble to save
then. All were lost in this second fire.
The loss will aggregate $40, 600 to
$4,000 of which Victor Sterling loses
stout 81 900. His loss 10 total as no hRd
no Insurance. du Pont e. Company carry
their own insurance.
The fire Yves undoubtedly Of inoendisry
origin and there IL but little doubt thai
they were the some misoreantd who sci
the other barn alire last month. The fire
was started III that part OF the barn cccu
pied by MIR. Sterling. The latter's aor
had finished all his work in the stable by
A 80 O'Clock and no on ia known TO have
entered the barn Rttsr that. In the bach
,Rrt Of the bniiaDT q row o. Windows
extended along ita attire ieEgtu about 9
foot or two above the gFouad. Two pane'
Of glass were broken out Of one OF these
windows against which some hay wal
packed The incandiary, il is thought
9Gms diegonally across the adj AGENT fields
applied the match ulobserved TO the hay
through one OF these broken panes anc
he could easily escape upobserVed rs j
was intensely darE. Doth fires are sup
posed TO have beel started b; discharged
workmen who were leid on in consider
able numbers Immediately ate the lat