St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-29
Fire Damages a Chicago Pack
ing House More Than Half
a Million Dollars.
The Conflagration Becomes
Terrific When It Strikes
the Lard Tanks.
Water Had No Effect What
ever on the Kissing and
Seething Furnace.
Cords OF Hams and Freezing
Carcasses OF Hogs Are
Destroyed.

CHICAGO. Sept. 2S.-Fowler Broth
erS' packing house at the stockyards
was damaged by fire this morning to the
amount of S690,OOO. The fire originated
at l 80 o'clock in the morning in the
packing room or the engine room adj
joining, 1t is not known definitely
which, and no cause is assigned for the
fire. The firemen worked against OBJ
stacles from the start Water had little
effect On the greaSe-soaked floors, and
the fire soon reached the tank room,
where thirty-two tanks of lard were
located. These exploded one after an
other with loud reports, and the boiling
lard fed the flames more fiercely.
The heat was so intense that the
firemen we're compelled to work
at a distance, and it was seen to
be worse than useless to throw water
into the Kissing and seathing Iurnare.
The packing room is about l40X150 eet.
The whole interior as blazing when
the fremen reached the scene in re-
Sponse 10 the first alarm. The flames
spread to the cooling room adjoining.
and commenced burning the carcasses
of the hogs hanging there. In the room
we're 6,6S9 hogs freezing, and they
burned too. Water was wholly useless
In fighting the fire, and it seemed that
nothing could be done to stop the con-
hagration. The roof fell in about two
hours after the fire started, and the fire
became more furious. The blaze lighted
up the entire heavens and rendered
everything
Lighter Than Day.
Scores of firemen were directing
hundred streams of water into the burn
Ing acres of lard and meat with no eff
feet. About this time the flames reached
lotof saltpetre stored above the pack
Ing ROOM. and the fumes from the burn
Ing chemicals we're awful. 1t Stified the
men and made them retreat. 1t entered
the nostrils and eyes and almost made
the men wild with pain. The atmosphere
was saturated with it. At O'clock it
was seen TO be impossible to eXtinguish
the burning pork, and water was thrown
on IT TO keep the fire down as much as
possible. 1t will have to burn itself out,
and it viii probably be two days yet
before it is entirely eXtinguished.
In the basement of the entire build
ing was stored an immense amount of
salt meats. This caught fire, and while
the flames were not furious and were
prevented from blazing high, they still
kept eating the sides, shoulders and
hams that were placed in solid cords,
layer on layer. The roof and floors COW
cred the sinOldering meats aud kept
water from reaching them, and the fire.
men were busy all day yesterday using
axes and hammers for removing the
masses of debris that hindered their
work. The building that burned is a.
part of the entire plant that has been
recently erected. The whole was
patched-up affair. and at the present
time additions were being built. The
entire series of buildings were under
one roof and surrounded by high wall.
This kept
The Si9htseers
at distance, and few policemen were
able to keep every one out. Thousands
were on the scene during the day, but
they could see nothing and didn't linger
around long. The interior of the build
ings were of wood and very inflam-
mable. The cooling room, in which the
freshly slaughtered hogs were hanging,
was lined with toot OF saw ust similar
to an ice house. This hindered the fire
men in their work and aided the
smoulderiDg flames. About 1900 men
and 100 girls were employed by the
company. The loss is entirely covered
by Insurance, mostly in foreign COM
panies. The plant was insured for
of Manchester, England. had four
policies of S19,500 each. The buildings
were divided into departments, and
were designated by letters. Depart
ment + was totally destroyed. 1t was
insured for S32, 800, and there was S125,-
600 on its contents. Building A was
insured for $4,000, with s130.000 on its
contents. Building had $4,000 in
surance on it, and S250,0OO on Its con-
tents. The packing house in which the
fire started was insured for S32,500 with
its machinery, $500 on engines, and
boilers S12,50 and contents $4,000.
The loss is divided about as follows:
Sl25,000 on machinery. S75, 000 on dressed
hogs. S500,000 on sides, hams and
shoulders packed in tierces. While
part of the buildings are
totally DESTROYED, the loss is small be-
cause the buildings were cheaply con-
structed. -Four large engines, three of
them used for running the refrigerator,
were burned, and helped to swell the
loss of machinery. The estimates of
the loss vary from S500,000 to sS0o,O00,
and the exact amount will depend on
the amount of meats stored in the build
ing and destroyed. The company that
has been conducting this business is
Composed of EngIishmen.
They have been in business here since
1862, and have been in the present
building since 1878. Th9 firm has been
known as the Anglo-American Packing
company for years. Recently a new
company was formed to be known as
Fowler Bros. Qimited), and subscrip-
tions have been received to the stock.
1t was a regular public COMPANY and
stockholders belonged to both CONT
nents. Shares were placed at $50 and
the capital stock was over Sc, 500, 600.
The prospectus issued was intended
principally for use in England. II
placed the capital at 751, 900 sovereign
each share being e10 1t was incor.
porated in England and proposed to ac-
quire the business of Fowler Bros
Qimited), of Liverpool; Fowler Bros.
of New York: the Anderson-Fowler
company. of New York. the Anglo
American Refrigerator Car company
the Anglo-American Provision com
pany, of Chicago. and the Omaha Pack.
ing company, of Omaha. One-third oil
the stock was taken by the old owners
as purchase money, and the remaining
$4,000 shares were offered for public
subscription. The books would have
closed Sept 80, after being open -four
days. What effect this fire will have
on the new company can only be con