The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-09-29
PACKING HOUSEBURNED.
nrsrRUCTIoN WROUGHT BY FIRE
AT CHICAGO.

ofLard and Cercasses of Hogs
80 the Raging Flames-Firemsn
1odlv Handicapped-Driven Away
the Intense Heat and Fumes of
p,rning Chemicals Loss Very
Heavy.
CHICAGO, Sept. 28.-Fowler Bros pack
,,c house at the stock yards was damaged
,r - this morning to the amount of $780,
90 The fire started at 80 o'clock in the
Soo,ing room or the engine room adjoin-
- If is not definitely known which. and
,@ csnse is assigned for the fire.
Tho fremen worked against obstacle from
.ho start. Water had little effect on grease
I'D floors, and the fire soon reached the
~ room. where thirty two tanks of lard
r.or. located. These exploded one after
onotber with loud reports, and the boiling
lard fed the flames more tiercely.
v1REMEN AT DISADVANTAGES.
The heat was so intense that the fremen
we're compelled to work at distance. and
= yas seen to be worse than useless to throw
water into the Kissing and seething furnace.
The hacking room, 50x150 feet in extent,
.rd the whole interior was blazing when
The frenen reached the scene in response to
,ba alarm. The flames spread to the cool
iDg room adjoining and commenced burn
inS the carcasses of hogs hanging there.
n the room were 6,6S9 hogs, and they
burned like oil. The roof fell in about two
iours after the fire started, and the fire be-
came more furious. Scores OF firemen were
arecting hund reds of streams of water
INTO the burning lard and meat, with no
eject
FUMES FROM CHEMICALS.
About this time the flames reached lot
s,ltDeter stored above the packing room
and the fumes from the burning chemicals
we're awful 1t stified the men and made
them retreat 1t entered nostrils and eyes
and almost made the men wild with pain.
The atmosphere was saturated with ii.
At6 O'Clock it was seen to be impossible
toextinguish the burning pork and water
was thrown on il to keep the fire down as
much as possible. 1t will have to burn itself
cut, and it will probably be two days yet
before 1t is entirely extinguished-
/ In the basement Of the entire building
/ was stored an immense amount of salt
meats. This caught fire, and while the
flames we're not furious and were prevent ed
from blazing high, they still kept eating
sides, shoulders and hams that were placed
in solid cords, layer on layer. The roof
and floors covered the smoldering meats
and kept the water from reaching them,
and the fremen were busy all day to-day
using axes and hammers for removing the
masses of debris that hiudered their work.
BUILT OF INFLAMMA BILE MATERIAL
The interior of the buildings were of
wood and very infammable. The cooling
room in which freshly slaughtered hogs
were hanging, was lined with foot of
sawdust similar to an ice house. This hin
dered the tiremen in their work and aided
the smoldering flames.
About 200 men and 100 girls were en-
ployed by the company.
The loss was entirely covered by insur-
ance, mostly in foreign companies. The
4 plant was insured for 81, 500, 900. The Lloyd
Company of Manchester, England, had
four policies of Sl69, 500 each. The build
lngs were divided IN departments, aud were
designated by letters. Department f was
totally destroyed. 1t was insured for
So, 800 and there was $125, 900 on its con-
tents Building A was insured for $15, 900,
with Sl300OO on its contents. Building
mad 500, ,OOO insurance on it and $500 on
It's contents. The packing house in which
the lire started was insured for $32, 500
with lrs machinery for S22, 500, engines and
"A
THE LOSS.
The loss is divided about as follows
Sl35,OCO on machinery; $4,000 on dressed
hogs; S5OO 900 on sides, hams and shoulders
packed in the cellars
ne company that has been conducting
mis Ins business is composed of Englishmen
Iney have been in business here since 1869
ana have been in the present building
since 1873. The firm has been
HnoWn as the Anglo-American Packing
company for years. Recently new
comnany was formed to be known as Fow
ler BROS. Qimited), and subscriptions re-
celVed to the stock. 1t was regular publit
company and the stockholders belonged tc
oota continents. Shares were placed at $50
anu the capital stock was over $3, 500, COO
prospectus issued was intended princi.
pSany Tor use in England. II
placed the capital at 9751, 900, each
SnaTe being 910. 1t was Incorporated
~ England and proposed to acquire the
usi BUSINESS OF Fowler Bros. limited, of Liver
pooi, Fowler Bros. of New York, the
an 4hnuerSon-F Fowler Company of New York
,no anglo American Refrigerator Car Com
gg'ny, the Anglo-American Provision
;oinIPany OF Chicago, and the Omaha Pack
s company Of Omaha One-third of tn,
oS"aA otocA was taken by the old owners as pur-
SHase Sb money, and the remaining 5000,
pales peHt offered for public subscriptions
D9oks would have closed Sept. so. aftel
,x;n ueing open four days. What effect this fir,
conjsctured. ~ p"D' o''n onis ~