The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1892-07-28
PLANNING MILLS BURNED.
A Large Planning Mill Burned to the
Ground.

The planning mills and lumber yards
of J. NJ. Cummings, on the Norfolk
and Western Railroad. two miles
from the city, were burned Thursday
| morning between the hours of II
and three o'clock.
The fire at the mill was discovered
by one of the workmen who lived
near by, at twelve O'Clock. The COM
munity was at once alarmed, but the
| fire had gained too much Roadway to
be effectively combatted. The whole
lower part of the mill nearest the
| railroad track had evidently been
burning some time when first diScOy-
ered3
1t was about quarter of an hour
before one O'Clock when the news of
the fire reached the city. The fire
streets were full of people rushing
out towards the spot when the great
lurid glare was to be seen in the
darkness rising from the horizon like
| pillar of fire.
The greater portion of the crowd
stopped when on reaching the out
skirts of the town they found that
the fire was out of town, but still a
large crowd continued to the scene of
the disaster.
The fire companies all turned out
brayely at the first peal of the fire
bell, but soon found that they could
be of no use at the mill, as there was
no water near by except an inaccesSi-
BILE branch, and consequently they did
not leave the city.
The mill was situated Immediately
on the right hand side of the track of
the Norfolk & Western railroad as
you go north. The main building of
the mill was 40x1OO feet in dimension
and contained a wing 30x60 feet. Sur
rounding the mill was an immense
lumber yard. When the first people
from the city reached the fire, it had
entirely destroyed the planning mill,
both main building and wing, and as
if this had only stimulate its fearful
appetite, was beginning to lick up the
stacks of lumber. Nothing was to be
seen at the site of the mill except
pieces of ruined machinery here and
there, around which the flames were
still lingering, as they burned the
foundation timbers of the plant.
Mr.. Cummings, a very tall slender
man, bare headed and in his coat
sleeves, led the men who attempted
to save pitiful handful of the lum-
Der in the stacks by dragging it from
the fire.
Mr.. Cummings temporary dwelling
which was very near the mill, was
scorched by the fire, but was saved by
throwing buckets of water over the
roof and side nearest the fire.
A Norfolk & Western box car, half
loaded with lumber, was on the sid
ing at the mill and was thought to be
doomed. The fire had drawn large
streams of resin from the pine planks
from which it was built. This was
hnyUnUQr nv no al
at two o'clock of an early morning
freight train, which took up the car
and brought it into the city.
A SENTINEL reporter saw Mr.. Cum
mfngs at the fire and learned from
him that there was not cent of in
surance on the whole plant.
What do you estimate your loss
at ~ was asked.
Il have not had time, of course, yet
to make any calculations, but the loss
ON the mill alone will be between four
and five thousand dollars. | had a
| 60-horse power engine in the mill and
very much valuable machinery. had
just put in a new planning machine
| that cost 1868. besides other new ma
chinery.
Besides the loss on the mill, had
| 500, 900 feet of lumber in my yard,
which was worth at least 81 hun
uIOo 1CCp. l. hdU you sec w III EC d IOSS
| of $5 1000, as what has been saved is
hardly worth Mentioning
':Why were you not insured, Mr..
Cummings ?"
Insurance rates are so high, L
could not afford it,"
Twill you rebuild soon ?"
81 will begin work on new mill at
once"
what caused the fire 2"
II have no idea unless it was light
ed from spark from passing train.
| There was no fire in the mill after
nine o'clock"
Mr.. Cummings has had his plant
| established here for twelve months
He came here from Walnut Cove,
where he was formerly engaged in the
same business.
Mr.. Cummings was in the lumber
business at Walnut Cove in 1873 when
he was burned out. His partners in
the firm were insured, but he had no
| insurance on his interests in the con-
Germ and lost So, 500 by that fire.
Death of q Young Man.