New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-22
r, J, Horner & Co.
BIG ELEVATORS BURNED UP.
TIE MILLING INTEREST OF OSWEGO
NEARLY WIPED OUT
MORE THAN 500 COO DAMAGE DONE TO THE LAKE
CITY BY THE FLAMES-LossES AND

MORE THAN 500 COO DAMAGE DONE TO THE LAKE
CITY by THE FLAMEs-LossEs AND
INSURANCE.
Oswcgo. May 2l.-Thc big fire here last night
practically wiped ont Oswego's milling and Gle
vator interest. Only one elevator Is lett In the
harbor, the Northwestern. owned by Gaylord,
Downcy Il CO. The fire was the hottest and
Gcrce.t since the one that swept the same site
in 1853 The fire started at II p. IN. IN the
Washington mill, and elevator 1t seemed to
burst ont over the whole upper part of the build
ing nt once, and in forty minutes the entire row
Of sin big elevators were roaring mass Of hames
that lcapcd half way across the river ana hlgh
into the air, presenting a magnificent spectacle.
The only elevator left il on the opposite size OF
the river. and was only saved by the most ne
tcrmincd efforts. IL was several times on Hic
and nothing would have saved the entire western
lumber district had II burned.
The Washington mills, where the fire starei' hau
an elevator capacity OF 300,0oo bushels an" co"i'
turn out 900 barrels OF -four n day. lhcy "erc
owned by Pcnfcld, Lyon N Co The lose on thus
property is Sl2j, 1000. and there is an iheurancc
of 500 900. The Columbia mills ana c'eNa'or
totally destroyed, had capacity oil -oo'o'"
bushels AMI 300 barrels OF flour day. IL was
owned by the Jesse IIoyt estate 1t Is insured
Tn. Merchants elevator. totally destroyed. had
can,citv of $4,000 bushels 1t was Owned by
the W. d. Smith estate, and was to have ncen
transferred to-day TO the Ncw-iOrk, ontario anu
Western Railroad. II was not insured. Inc
Marine elevator, totally DESTROYED, was owned pN
Thompson Kingsforl. Is had capacity OF 2'o'-
GOO bushels In the building were 31,OoO pn~heh
Of corn. quantity of barley and 4''ooo pu'"c,'
-, malt. the latter owned ny Francis zero,
Sons Of this city and Philadelphia The matt
WINS insured for $40 900, the corn ana Darcy ior
S3j 600 ard the building for S+0,OUp, ABOUT nan
the value The Corn Exchange elevator, totally
DESTROYED vas about tie same capacity ana value
as the others. II was owned by John H. iiahklh-
.on in New York, and IL insured there Inc
Continental elevator, totally destroyed, was NOT
in operation. It had capacity OF Soo'-
ooo bushels and was ownel by the
estates Of w. j. Erwin and Dclos Dcwolf
, conservative estimate puts loss on buildings
and machinery at S3jO,O0o. To he added TO
this il the loss on grain and lumber, which Will
swell the total to about S400,O In addition,
10000 bushels of grain in the Northwestern
elevator WAS destroyed by water. The building
was flooded.
The long island in the centre Of the river was
piled full of lumber and despite the greatest
efforts it caught fire in dozen places. Inc
lumber was owned by f. ". Rathbun n Co.
One steamer was taken from the burning elevators
and sent to this fire. This. with the help Of
bucket brigade and a force OF men that pulled
down piles and showed the lumber into the
river checked what promised for n time to DE
the worse fire Of the two. About $1,000 worth
of lumber WAS destroyed, beside the wharycs.
While the elevator fire was AT It's height the
heat was fearful, and il was impossible to stand
on the wharf thr opposite side of The. river
800 feet away Early in the conflagratiOn, help
was asked from Syracuse and Fulton but owing
10 some misunderstanding about trains the syria
cusc lrcmcn did not arrive until nearly 3 O'Clock.
too Late TO he of assistance.
Had the fire occurred later in the season. when
the elevators are full, the loss would have been
cnormous The ircmcn had many thrilling en-
pcrcnccs but no casualties are reported. AS
sistant Chief Macy Of NO engine, was the last
man to leave the Marine elevator. He had been
directing n force Of men in the upper part OF the
building and was Obliged 10 escape from "A window
10y means OF n rope. A great mass of flames burst
out Of the window just he seized the rope.
lie cooly lowered himself the entire distance
hand-ovcr-hand while the rope burned. II parted
lust as hc touched the ground. The iiremcn are
still PLAYING on the ruins. but all danger was
passed at o'clock this morning. when it began
raj