The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1891-04-23
LID, HILLSBORO. O.-THURSDAY, APRIL %. 1891.
BURNT FEATHERS.
Destructive Blaze at the Poultry Pack
ing establishment Of H. w.
Wolf b Co.
Loss Partly Covered by Insurance. The
Fire Department Comes
In for Notice.

The large poultry packing establish.
ment of H. w. Wolf 4 Co. on South
street was discovered to be on fire
shortly before six o'clock Monday morn
ing, and before the flames we're subdued
the building was about half destroyed.
Mr.. ]. Y. Dean. who has charge Of the
business here, and Thomas Mcclure,
one of the employees, were at the place
early in the morning and had started
fire in the large stove used in heating
water for scalding chickens. They had
gone to breakfast and it is supposed
that the stove which was filled with soft
coal blew open by the expansion of the
gas as it frequently does and that the
stovepipe was knocked down, thus allow
ing the blaze to catch on the surround
ing wood work.
About quarter before six o'clock Mr..
John Cooper discovered the fire break
ing out of the roof at the rear of the
building near where the heater is located.
The alarm was sent in from the box at
the corner of South and Vine streets
and the engine arrived promptly and did
good service. The building was two
story frame and large quantity of cut
straw, rags and feathers was stored in
in the upper floor. This made
the fire difficult to control, but only
short time elapsed after the first water
was thrown until the blaze was entirely
extinguished. All the contents of the
Office and front part of the building
were saved. A shipment Of $1,000 dozen
eggs had been made the latter part of
last week, 30 that there was not large
number on hands at the time. These
were brought out without much loss
together with lot Of cases and packing
material. Several hundred chickens
were turned loose from the coops and
aided materially in giving the alarm.
The stable containing quantity of hay
and corn and connected with the other
building by shed was saved. The
building was insured for $1,000 by the
Cooper, of Dayton, and the stock for
1000 in the Columbia of the same
place through H. D. WaddelPs agency.
Mr.. Dean estimates tho loss at more than
the insurance.
The usual criticisms which it is every
body's privilege to indulge in were dis
played ON this occasion, but it must be
said for the fire department that it &C
complished all that could be reasonably
required Of it. Every part'of the build
ing that vas not on fire at the time tht
first water was thrown was saved. Th,
senselessness Of some Of the talk engaged
in on such occasions is shown by tn
fact that the firemen were blamed TO
being late in getting on the ground
whereas by actual count it was eigh
minutes from the sounding of the alarm
till the throwing Of the first stream
During moments of excitement and SUI
pense very few persons have any con
ception of the passage of time, whic
accounts for the discrepancies betwee
the ideas of different persons as to th
length of time which actually elapsed.
The complaint that the engine wer
on to the cistern at South and Win
streets instead of stopping ut the 1llifrit
or the Dean pond seems to have som
t foundation. The inexhaustible suppl
y OF water in either of these ponds an
s their close proximity to the fire ought
3 have suggested them Immediately, b,
it seems that the driver, not knowir
!, where the fire was, drove directly to Il
4 cistern nearest the box from which Il
alarm was sent, according to orders. \
Q special harm resulted from this mistak
but it illustrates that the firemen shou
have special instructions beforehand no
9 to proceed in case of fire at any of ii
}. important buildings in town.