The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-09
Davis Tanuery 10 PaVtucket Practl-
c,lly Destroyed.
LOSS WILL AGGREGATE $4,000.
origin ot tho fire Unknown-workmen
Escape by the windows-Eiectrioc Our
rent shut on aud Travel by Trolley
Intorfered With.

A destructive fire broke out in Paw
tuciet late yesterday afternoon, damag-
ing the buildings and stocks ot the james
Davis Betting company TO the cx.eh. o'
5000. The plant is located atthe junction
OF Lumber and Pleasant streets, ciose
to the centre OF the city and covers nearly
an acre OF land. OF late the plant mas
been but little used, owing to the bosi-
ness depression, and the buildings "e'o
dry and burned like tinder.
AT Sis O'Clock Patrick Cavanaugh, one
OF the few workmen in the building'
noticed blaze making lively work IN Inc
very centre OF the plant. He at once sent
in an alarm from box 13 which is
on the mill property. and thc
fire department was quickly on the scene.
By this time, however, the blaze had made
great Roadway and the interior was Il
raging furnace.
sccond Alarm Sounded.
Chief Briefly at once rang in second
alarm from box 13, and then tho work OF
fighting the fire was begun in earnest.
The fire, fed by the oil saturated wood
work, roared in might and
spread so rapidly that the seven
or eight worxmen who were finishing
their labors for the day knew nothing of
the confiagration until the alarm sounded
when they oil came to a sudden realiza-
tion of their peril and dropped out OF the
windows.
An elevator shaft in the centre OF the
shop afforded the best possible draft and
the fire roared madly up the entire length
of the shaft and spread out on either side
with great rapidity.
The Roof Falls.
Suddenly one section OF the roof fell in
with crash and shower of sparks few
far and near. One OF the north sides fell
later, and the steam from the
overheated sboilers drove the
crowd back. At z o'clock the work OF the
firemen was crowned with success and the
last defiant sparks succumbed to tho
deluge of water poured on them.
The origin of the fire is mysterious, and
the men VINO were working in tho shop
knew nothing about ii until forced to run
for their lives.
The buildings belong to the Providence
County Savings bank and are insured
through the firm ofStarkweather & Shep-
ley. The plant is damaged to the extent
of $4,000 and the loss on the stock will
aggregate $50, 900, covered by insurance.
At the breaking out of the fire the elec-
trio current was shut off the wires passing
in front of the building, stalling the troll
ley cars for long time.
The police had the space about the
building roped offearly, and kept tho en-
closure clear, making 1t easy work for the
fremen to get about. Charles r. Bucklin,
the clerk of the company, ordered coffee
and refreshments for the men
History of the building.
Tho foundation OF this establishment
was laid i'm 1S47, when James Davis COM
menced the manufacture of lace leather
in q small way on the portion OF
tho site OF the building burned last even
ing. He was the second TO start in
this business in Pawtucket, Lewis Fair
brother having then been carrying on
the business for about a dozen years.
There was little OF this manufacture in
the country in those days, and for more
than quarter of century the greater
portion of the lace leather manufactured
in the United States was in Pawtucket.
and mainly at these two establishments.
In 1850 Mr.. Davis added the manu-.
facture OF betting to his business, and
since then the two kinds OF manu-
factures have been carried on there. In
course of time the firm became James
Davis 4 Son, and in 1885 the business
came into the hands OF corporation
Known as the James Davis Betting COM
pany. The firm of James Davis q Son
was well known throughout the United
States and Canada and some OF the
largest leather belts ever seen on ma
chinery were made by this firm. OF late
years, however, in common with other
tanneries, the business has dwindled
away.