Middletown transcript., 1891-09-17
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stroyed by fire. karly saturdas mo
and it was the most disastrous conflas
grafton that town has seen for many
/ years.
The buildings destroyed were the
blacksmith shop, fine mill, bending
mill, socket shot and ball grindery, en-
failing loss now estimated at $780,
600. The whole works occupy an area
of about seven acres, and are situated
on the Delaware river, o mile south of
the centre Of the town and short dis
tance east of Dobbinsville. The fact
that they were running steadily and
paying out good wages to a force of
nearly 800 men weekly, makes them
New Castles chief industry, and a
long suspension of the works would be
deeply felt by everybody. Fortunately
a large portion of the plant was saved !,
for which the New Castle fire depart
ment is deserving of all the credit.
The fire was discovered just at seven
O'Clock on Saturday night by some
residents of Dobbinsville, who noticed
a small sheet of fame issuing from the
ball grindery, which adjoins the main
building and under which the bending
and fiue mills are situated. Several
men at once alarmed the watchman
and the handful of people at once
formed bucket brigade and began
| work on the fire. In a few minutes
the flames began spreading rapidly,
and in very short time the fire had
reached the bending and fiue mills, the
flames shooting hundred feet in the
air meanwhile the whistle sounded a
vigorous alarm and the Lenape Fire
Company promptly responded. In
short time three streams from the
river were playing upon the flames and
three more forced by the pumping en-
gine at the works.
BY 10 o'clock all that was left of the
fire was smouldering ruins and the
crowd of spectators dispersed and the
gates leading to the works were closed.
The firenen. however, remained on
the scene until O'Clock Sunday morn
ing, the engine being in service for a
good portion of the night. The origin
of the fire is mystery.
The mills destroyed are the most i'm
portant part of the works and the
whole plant is temporarily crippled.
The bending and flue mills is practi-
cally the starting point. All the pipes
and tubes are made here and the other
departments put the finishing touches
on the manufactured material. Fortu-
nately most of the machinery, which is
of the latest improved pattern and
valued at several thousand dollars, is
underground and slightly damaged.
The large furnaces are badly wrecked,
but some of them will stand repair.
Inc ire could not have happened at a |
worse time. The works We're Just |
commencing on their fall trade, which
was very promising. The burned |
buildings are fully insured. The exact
amount, however, could not be ascer-
tanned.
The Delaware Iron Works are oper-
ated by Morris, Tasker & Company of
Philadelphia. They were erected in
1873 and cost million dollars Since
then it is estimated that over $780,
600 worth Of improvements have been
made. The machinery in the cutting
shop alone is valued at S300,000 The
plant is the largest of it's kind in this
section of the country, and the mater
als manufactured are wrought iron,
water and gas pipe, boiler tubes and
fittings. Their goods have a national
'eputation and shipments are frequent
y made to foreign countries.
As soon as the insurance agents have
'iewed the ruins, the work of rebuild
ng the destroyed mills will begin.