Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-07-02

office, however, was burned. Mr..
Tuchton's loss is $4,000, which is
covered by insurance
The residents of the dwelling houses
experienced total loss of about 5000.
Their goods were damaged by water,
and also in the owners efforts to drag
their furniture out of harms way.
The trees along Head street were set
atire by the intensity of the heat.
THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE.
How the fire originated is not known.
The following story, however, was
given to the representative Of The GA
zETTE Sunday night. A German, who
cannot speak English, was tending the
furnaces in the horseshoe department.
He is understood to be the first to have
seen the fire. He tried to extinguish it
with Il hose, but the hose had no nozzle.
1t never occurred TO him TO sound the
alarm. lie found he could not get
stream on, and then, after several fruit
less efforts, rushed around calling fire
Guard ropes were stretched from the
Herbert House along Head to Peach
streets. At every intersection police
were stationed to keep the crowds back
from hindering the fremen.
At the moment extreme danger was
threatened in the hazardous position of
the oil houses. Fire had caught the
lower end Of the long Head street
wooden fence. The fire came along al
a jump burning and cracking up the
already superheated wood like pipe
stems. Some quick-witted firemen
rushed to the upper end and tore down
the fence as fast as they could and sat
urated it with water. No doubt their
decisive action prevented most dan
gerous renewal Of the conilagration for
the burning oil would doubtless have
Immediately set fire to everything within
range.
The City Electric Light Company took
the precaution of cutting Off all the wires
over Third street bridge.
TUE LATEST FIGURES.
The officials are naturally anxious
that the impression does not go abroad
that the Diamond State mills are de
stroyed. On the contrary they are run
ming in full form and are in position to
give attendance to regular business,
The injury is only temporary and con
fined exclusively to the Old Ferry plant
south Of the bridge.
The insurance is 100000 placed with
l.. p. Buck " Go. II is feared that there
will be some loss above this. But
exact figures cannot yet be ascertained
The immese stock Of horse shoes is in
fair shape A big loss will be entailetl
in the delay Of business.
or the 500 or 700 men employed at
the Old Ferry mills about 400 will be
thrown out of employment. The re-
mainder will be kept on and employed
about the ruined buildings. The com
pany proposes to rebuild at once.
THE FiREMEN DID NoBLy.
| Vice-president Bowers pays high
tribute to the fire department. "The
men did nobly,n he remarked to a re-
porter on Monday.
No casualties III connection with the
i fire have been reported.
eSNne, of the men employed at the
mills weis; sniured.
Martin Mcllopaugh and James Cru.
ham, two members Or ths Reliance com.
pany, were slightly hurt by falling from
the roof Of one Of the mills The hose
which they were passing along wa.
suddenly dragged from their hands and
they were thrown TO the ground. Nc
Donough received slight strain in the
leg and Graham experienced shock
McDonough was walking around OF
Monday and Graham has completely
recovered. There were none Of tho
broken legs or foreat1ns as stated by
another paper.
President George w. Todd made ar.
Engagements with the proprietor of the
Herbert House for the entertainment Of
the tiremen at that place
The loss TO the city electric light com
pany will not exceed 500. All excep
one or two lamps were fixed up or
Monday The circuit was not turned OF
over Third street bridge at time of tn,
fire alarm Sunday night.
total of six railway cars werl
burned: five were y. X. X. cars, fou
being coal cars fully laden and on,
laden with stoves and barrels. Tn,
sixth was b. & o. r.. r. car alread-
referred to. The cars were standing OF
a siding in the mill yard.
AID was tclegraphed for to Chester
AT p. M, two steamers we've standin.
al the station there awaiting the arriva
Of fiat car. Before Il came Telegram
was received from Chief Robinson stat
ing that the fire was under control an,
that there was no need of the aid aske,
for.
The department was in service abou
four hours. The local plugs belonging
10 the Old Ferry Mills Company gav
! some assistance to the firemen. TIL
Washington and Weccacoe companie
remained on the premises until 2.90 d
in. and were the last to leave
Practically the Diamond State Irol
Company will no. be very great loser
by the fire. The company was organize,
! aud chartered in 1853. The Old Ferr
/ mills was instituted BY Townsend
Company about the date of the close d
the war Of the rebellion. II was puf
chased by the Diamond State Compan
in 1875.