The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1892-08-13

Shortly before two O'Clock Sunday
morning the people Of this town and
those living near were aroused from
their slumbers by the alarm Of fire
1t was soon learned that the Tygard
Manufacturing Company's plant in
South Morgantown Was burning
Scores of people were soon on hand
ready to fight the flames, but they
we're too late, nothing could save the
company's buildings and it took the
hardest work to save the nearest
dwelling, that of George Hall. The
fire originated under the corner oil
the planning mill next to the new ad-
dition and first showed itself in the
passage between the planning mill
and dry kiln. Parts ofthe buildings
were built ofpine and all were so dry
that the flames spread like fire in
prairie grass and in an hour all the
buildings belonging to the company
had fallen in and only the heavier
timbers were still burning. The
buildings destroyed were seven in
number, planning mill, blacksmith
shop, Office, dry kiln, workshop, sta.
BILE and corn-crib. Two tool chests
belonging to Ewing Martin and Geo.
Hall, work bench, some door and
window frames, the safe and a few
hundred feet Of lumber we're all that
it was possible to save from the
rapidly burning buildings.
The heat from the burning build
ings was so intense that no Roadway
could be gained against the flames
by the use of buckets and, there be-
ing no fire plugs in South Morgan
town it was SO long before the hose
could be connected with the fire plug
in front of the Temperance hotel aud
made to reach the fire that little
could be done to check the flames on
the buildings already burning. II
there had been a fire plug near the
buildings it is probable that the fire
could have been extinguished before
much damage was done.
The total loss to the company is
estimated at from SIS, 900 to $4,000
the insurance on the buildings and
machinery is $4,000, there being an
insurance of $1,000 in each of six
companies. Besides several individ-
ual and outside companies were
small losers by the fire, Huston q
Domain, Tough Bros, Joseph Whar-
ton, DIR. L. S. Brock, G.. w. johnson
and few others. At meeting of
the board of directors held Monday
morning it was decided to wait until
the insurance companies have adj
justed the losses before calling a
stock holders meeting or taking any
definite action toward rebuilding the
plant. 1t is safe to say, however,
that the plant will be rebuilt, and
that before very long.
The first building on the present
site was put up by Col. A. Fairchild
in 1851 for carriage and buggy
factory, then Messrs. Lawhead and
Fordyce became partners and in 1859
a machine shop was built and steam
was first employed. Along in the
seventies somewhere the capacity of
the works was doubled, thirty men
being employed, and se-building
was carried on along with the max
ing of carriages and buggies. In
1885 the old skating rink was pur-
chased and moved to their plant to
be used as a carpenter shop and for
the storage of their finished products
and lumber In 1890 their plant
valued at $4,000, was transferred to
the.Tygard Manufacturing Company,
the old firm becoming stock holders
to the value of their plant. Consid
cradle new machinery has since been
added and the company was doing a
large and profitable business. There
are twenty seven stock holders in
the new company, part of whom are
employees. From twelve to fifteen
persons were in the employ of the
company just previous to the fire,
who depended upon their work there
for the support of themselves and
their families. Upon these as well
as upon the company the loss will
fall heavily. The people of the town
should give the company financial
aid, iii is needed, as they have given
them their sympathy, in order that
the mandatory may be speedily re-
built The town can with difficulty
get along without a planning mill and
its adjuncts and the sooner this is
rebuilt the better it will be for the
whole community.
1t is thought that the fire was of
incendiarv origin as it broke out in
place where fire was never used and
where there was nothing to cause
spontaneous combustion.
The safe in the office of the
Tygard Manufacturing company
went through the fire but the books,
papers, ETC., in it were not damaged
beyond little scorching of the bind
ing of some of the books.
Several work benches that had
been made for the University Me-
chanical Hall were consumed in the
fire.
George Halls house came very
near burning, at one time every one
but DR.. Courtney had abandoned it..
Eight different men said they
helped to carry one tool chest out
Sunday morning.
Huston & Domain were probably
the heaviest losers by the fire, besides
having 81, 200 worth of stock in the
company they had several hundred
dollars worth of lumber and finished
work destroyed.
A turbine water wheel, belonging
to John H. Hoffman, went through
the fire Sunday morning. 1t was in
the shop for repairs on account of
damage received in previous fire.
Two buggies and a wagon were
saved from burning by being run
over the bank into the creek.
It's about time the town or county
authorities were offering a reward
for the fire bug that has been getting
in his work hereabouts for some time
past.
Shot Himself.
While the members of one of the
fishing clubs from Pittsburg en-