Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-09-29
a DESTRUCTIVE FIFE.

A Chicago Packing House Damaged
Yearly Three-quarters OF a MIL
Hon D0Ilars-ExplOsfOn of Lard
ranks - Intense Heat - Thirteen
Hundred Men and Girls Thrown
Out OF Work-The Loss and Insur.
anee.
CHICAGO, Sept. 28.-Fowler Brothers'
packing house at the stock yards was
damaged by fire this morning to the
amount of $500, 600: The fire originated
at 1880. The fremeaiworked against OBJ
stacles from the START Water had very
little effect on the grease-soaked floors and
the flames soon reached the tank-room,
where thirty-two tanks of lard were To-
Gated. These exploded one after another
with loud reports and the boiling lard fed
the flames more fercely. The heat was 30
intense that the fremen were compelled to
work at distance, and it was seen to be
worse than useless to throw water into
the kissing and seething furnace.
The packing room is about 80
by $50 feet and the whole interior
was blazing when the fremen reached
the scene in response to the first alarm.
The flames spread to the cooling room ad-
joining, and commenced burning the car
casses OF the hogs hanging there. In the
room were 1883 hogs freezing, and they
burned like oil. Water was useless in
quenching the fire, and it seemed that
nothing could be done to stop the confla-
grafton. The roof fell in about two hours
after the fire started, and the fire became
more furious. The blaze lighted up the
n IL
lighter then day. About 1000 men and
The loss is entirely covered by insur-
ance, mostly in foreign companies. The
plant was insured for 81 500, 600. The
Lloyd company of Manchester, England,
has four policies of $10,500 each. The
buildings were divided in departments and
were designated by letters. Department
F was totally destroyed. 1t was insured
for $32, 500 and there was $125, 900 on its
contents. Building A was insured for
$16, 600 with $3.50, 900 on its contents.
Building had $35, 900 insurance on it
and $3.50, 900 on its contents. The pack
ing house in which the fire started was in
sured for $32, 500 with its machinery for
$22, 500; engine and boilers S12. 500. and
contents $4,000.
The loss is divided about as follows:
$125, 600 on machinery, s75, 900 ON dressed
hogs, $500, 900 on sides, hams and shoul-
ders packed in the cellars While part
of the buildings are totally destroyed, the
loss is small because the buildings were
cheaply constructed. Four large engines,
three of them used for running the refrig-
orator, were burned and helped to swell
the loss of machinery. The estimates of
the loss vary from $500, 900 to $500, 900,
and the exact amount will depend upon
the amount of meats stored in the building
and destroyed. The company that has
been conducting this business is composed
of Englishmen. They have been in business
here since 1862 and have been in the pres
emit building since 1873 The firm has been
known as the Anglo-American company.
A new company, to be known as Fowler
Brothers, limited, has been formed re-
Gently, and subscriptions to the stock have
been received. 1t was regular public
company, and stockholders belonged to
both continents. Shares we're placed at
$50 and the capital stock was over SO, $780,
600.
The prospectus issued was intended
principally for use in England. 1t placed
the capital at e751 900. It was incorpor-
ated in England, and proposed to acquire
the business of Fowler Brothers, limited,
of Liverpool; Fowler Brothers, of New
York; the Anderson-Fowler company, of
New York; the Anglo-American Refriger-
ator Car company, the Anglo-American
Provision company of Chicago, and the
Omaha Packing company of Omaha
One-third of the stock was taken by the
old owners as purchase money, and the re-
naming $4,000 shares were offered for
public subscription.