Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1890-01-02

The bright illumination Just outside
the western suburbs of the city, and
which caused the alarm of FIRE TO be
struck from box No. az, at Delaware ave-
nue. and dupont street, at 600 O'Clock
Thursday night, was caused by the burn
ing of large stone barn o. this y. /. du-
Pont de Eemoura & o., near the Hagley
or Middle yard. Ihn fire started just be-
fore 6 O'Clock, about an hour before the
city alarm was struck. Its origin ia q
mystery, IS there was no person nor light
about tha buildin2. Francis G. DUPONT,
whose resideoce il not over 20 wards dis
tapt from The barn, lad just arrived
hone aud TUNED hi5 horle over to James
forty, bin stable msn when the latter
discovered snags issning from the ven
silatiug windows et the top of the big
structure. He instantly gave the alarm in
his noi9hborhood, while James Hunter
r4n 10 the Uppar yard and gave a general
alarm. Several hundred mAn responded,
aud their timely sffort8 with buckets of
watar confined tho fra to the building in
wltjca it otiglEgtei.
Fortunately tas fumes BEGAN in the
sop part of tile bnid!ug, and, although
they spread rapidly, there we ample
EtIlS W Etlhpf5 LH1 iL'jhSit 6lA NAaifEFtSo
ard two sleigas hslonRing TO MIR. doPcat,
Gn we'll as mpst OF tha valuable agriaEl-
tural implements before the flames
| enveioped the autire strueturo. The EN-
ployee of the company fought the fire
gRllhntly, md their Efforts afterwards
elfeotually siied by the Phoenix and
Friendship IKE companies, prevented the
| destruction Of much moro property.
The barn was sbout 200 feet long by GO
/; fest wide. Joined TO one end was a long,
4 low hay-qhed completely fllea with hsg,
4 while adjoining this ware Home hay
| stacks, the whole comprising hundreds
Of tons Of iue cay. Ihe connection be-
tween the bpy.gbed and harm Was torn
asundtr aud tho former Gelugsd with
\ water, thus sariag IL. Tie barn cnn-
tanned aboui i ,1Ia tushels or corn, 2, NN
bushels of vii itt, 30 tans Of hay, aona
oats, potatoes, &e wlich were all de-
strosed by The fire.
| After tho fire Ra6 gained considerable
beadwRy it Was discovered shat valuable
colt which Mr.. GDp2nt had Sut recantlg
purchased was stili ia the burning buila.
ing, Willing bands went to the rsaeue.
The frightened aaimnl was gotten outside
ouoe, but it was SO bswildersd that il
dashed back into thl stable, and whom II
emerged again is eyes we're burnt and il
emitted Eiokersng odor Of burned flesh,
having t,aen soorq9Aa all over the body.
Coinpasaion for it induced one o. tAe
msn TO kill it With an axe.
The locaI fta companies Responded
promptly to tho alnsin bat when they dig
covered the location OF the blaze all
turned bNck but the Friendships engine
and carriage and the Phoenix carrlsge,
These went to the scene of tic fse reach,
ing there in time to do some very Gfeo
tive service. The fire was still blazing
high and tine danger Of communicating
TO the surrounding propsrty had not yet
passed. BpSh companies combined theil
hose sud the Frlepdsbip engine theI
n:Gyed o solid stGepn ct watsr On Sh.
flames. Two resstvelya wers puIoped dry
and more hose hsa 10 bs procured from
the city when the wat WAS dawn from
the thiEd reservoir through abonf l ,9Ol
feet Of hose. There were about 20 viii.
mington fieemen in all and they worked
hard for several hours finally extipgulsh
ing the iismes. The firemen were fed anc
we'll treated during thei. stay.
1t was grand sight to SEQ the burning
building and the bright illumination
which it sent skywsrd served TO attrac
hundreds OF people from the surrounding
neighbovhood, people being present frcn
Ashland, Mt. Cuba, Oentseyiile and vsri
GUS other places The loss by the fire viii
approximate $25 090 which is covered by
insurance provided by the compan,
iise,f IS they devote certsin amoun
each year for that purpose instead of in
suriag in regular insurance companies
The barn was what was known as th'
new" barn although the original struc
ture was burned down about 80 year
ago. II was the largest barn owned BY
the company, but its proximity to Mr.
duPont's house has long proved source
of danger ard it will probably not be re
built on the old site.
This present year is marked With sew
eral disssters to the company, the fire il
the refinery In May last and the explosion
Of the two rolling mills in June, together
with this latest fire. sntaiiinR total los
approzimating 100000. Fortunately NJ
lives were sacrificed and the monetary
loss will hardly be felt by this wealth.
corporation.
A SLIGHT RLIZE.