The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1892-10-20
BOyd's Magnificent FIGURING
Mill a Total Loss.
Richards Feed Mill Bears It Com-
pany.
The Old Depot and Cooper Shop Still
Intact.

AS fire it was success. 1t was also /
q, grand success as an argument in favor
Of water works.
At 6:45 o'clock p. m. an alarm of fire |
was turned in from the same box that |
had called SO many disappointed crowds |
to Boyd's cooperage establishment, a
series of rambling old frame shanties
near the Touring mill. In this instance
it was not the cooper shop, however,
but the mill, one of the finest in the
State, and one that was known all over
the State for the quality and quantity
of its product.
The fire department turned out with
the celebrity for which it has always
been noted, but the frame portion of the
mill adjoining the main building on the
east side, together with a frame stable
on Capt. VIM. Haller's lot, just across
the alley, we're wrapt in flames before
drop of water was thrown.
It was easily seen that the department
was hopelessly inadequate to deal with
blaze of such proportions. The first
difficulty which confronted it was the
scarcity of water, there being none in
any quantity nearer than the cistern at
the City Hall, over three blocks away
from the fire. To reach the fire from
the upper side took all the hose and it
was impossible for the fremen to get
action on the lower or north side OF the
burning building.
Meantime the fire slowly but surely
consumed the frame part of the building,
which contained some hundred bushels
Of wheat, and communicated with the
large three.story brick building compris.
ing the mill proper. About the same
time the intense heat ignited the feed
mill formerly owned by Richards &
Ayres, but which had recently been
purchased by Harry Richards, and also
the frame Office building of J. M. Boyd
& Co. The former stood diagonally
across the alley and the latter faced the
main building, between it and the coop.
er shop. Strenuous efforts were made
to save the Richards mill, both by the
fire department and asympathetic bucket
brigade, but frame shed extending to.
ward the blazing building extended an
invitation that the flames could but &C.
cept. From the shed they crept through
the windows and quarter of an hour
later the walls were crumbling upon the
machinery and grain. As for the Office,
it was only few minutes until it was
entirely consumed.
During this time the greatest anxiety
was felt by those residing in the vicinity.
The wind was blowing mildly toward
the business portion of the town and
large sparks and pieces of blazing
shingles were being blown upon the
National Hotel and the adjoining build.
ings. Indeed, they we're blown upon
buildings much further away, and at
times the large crowd of spectators con.
sidered the hotel doomed. The utmost
vigilance, much exertion and the provi.
dental lack of a strong wind were al.
that saved it. Had the fire reached il
there is no telling where it would have
ended, but the chances are that the
whole business part of the town would
now be in smouldering ruins.
Within half an hour after the alarm
was turned in streaks of flame were
streaming through every window Of the
big mill and few minutes later the roo
went down with crash. Then the iror
warehouse adjoining it on the west tool
hfire and in few minutes was red hot
In it was stored thousands of bushels o.
wheat, which is damaged by the fire
and water so as to be useless except fol-
stock feed. The building itself, like
the main building, was total loss, bu
the wheat was in such a solid mass that
the fire could not wholly consume it.
Just after the warehouse began burn
ing the greater part of the eastern anG
southern wall went down with deafen
ing crash, throwing blazing cinders to {
great height and making the ruinatiol
| pfoCtCoiAy uhohAAouc' ~ WdS uot uutA
IL o'clock, or more than three hour
after the alarm was turned in, that tn
fire was under control, and even at tina
time strong wind would have jeopar
; died the entire city.
Mr.. Fred Schermer, of the Nations
} Hotel, in anticipation OF the fire spread
; ing, succeeded in moving most of hi
] property to places of safety.
The residence of Mr.. Jacob Miller
Capt w. W. Hallar and Mr.. J. A. Memo
J also had close call. So apparent wa
the danger that they, too, were busil
engaged removing household goods I
places OF safety.
, FlvinQ sparks set fire to the roof {