Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-05-21
LIKE A TINDER BOX.
-Four Departments of Jones e. Laugh
Inns Mill Quickly Burned.
TIE LOSS WILL REACH $4,000.
Much Valuable Work, Partially Done, De-
Stroyed or Ruined.
WORK OF REBUILDING TO BEGIN ONCE

For the third time within ten days Jones
& IaugElin's Iron Works were visited by fire,
and this time the bridge works or structural
department, and the strengthening, shear
and roll houses were entirely consumed, at a
loss OF 200, the amount of insurance being
$4,000. Last week there were two small
fires, but little damage was done. The COM
pany is not going to wait long until it will
be ready to start again, as men were put to
work yesterday almost before the ruins were
cold, removing the debris preparatory to the
erection of a new iron structure. The firm
has numerous large orders ON hand which
must be filled.
The four departments which were burned
were under Il one-story frame roof. 2S0x20O
feet. The fire originated in the straighten-
ing shop, which is located at the foot of
South Twenty-sixth street, facing the Mo-
nongahela river. A spark from steam saw
used in cutting iron flew into pile of waste
and refuse, and in a moment the flames
leaped up the sides Of the building to the
ROOF. \ strong wind was blowing, and al
most immediately the entire building was
envcloped III flames. The light, iRfiammab BILE
frame which composed it burned like a fur
mace for an hour.
An alarm WAS sent in from box l57 and on
the arrival OF Chief Stewart he sent in Il call
for woadditional districts The fire was SO
1npid, however that the whole plant was q
sheet of flame before the first engine ar
rived. The fire department did effective
work and kept it confined to the one build
ing, though the flames were intense enough
70 boil the tar out of a roof 80 feet away. The
direction OF the wind, too, favorable,
and blew across the river away from the
mills. Inside of an hour all danger from a
spread OF the flames was past. but the de-
pUrtmcntS named Nere completely ruined.
The most serious loss occurred in the
structural shop or bridge works. An addi-
tian TO that plant had been made only a few
months ago, and work was being pushed in
fhe department both night and day. About
l60 men were employed there, and some very
valuable machinery used. cutting, dressing |
and milling machines. lathcS and planers |
ard riveting apparatus. There were / hv- |
dIaElic and steam engines and IL different |
pieces OF line machinery, the estimated cost |
Of which is put at $4,000 Many of them can |
be repaired and will not be totally lost.
4 number of orders were about finished or |
III course of completion. one of them an en- |
tire floor of the new Masonic Temple now |
being built in Chicago. 1t was lust COM
pletcd and shipments on il were to have been |
commenced yesterday afternoon. The plant |
was 20 have turned out all of that work, hav- |
ing taken the contract of the hands of the |
Geflnct Columbia Iron and Steel Company.
" ork had already begun on all floors from !
the sixth to the eighteenth, the one de- |
Stroyed being the fifth. Another order about |
completed was a large ono for the Lessig |
b. idgge and Iron Company, OF Chicago.
The other serious loss might be said to |
nave occurred in the strengthening shed, |
where tons of finished beams were warped /
and sprung by the intense heat all of which |
VIII have to he dressed over. In the roll |
house about 100 rolls were similarly affected |
and Will have to be redresScd.