Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-02-08
greatly indebted to them for their eff
ency."
The bell signal that the fire was finally
subdued was sounded at ll.l6 o'clock.
a NAM MUET.

The bell signal that the fire was finally
subdued was sounded at IL. .l6 o'clock.
AMAN HURT.
While watching the fire from the Market
street bridge man named Frank Nailor
fell in fit and cut cash in his head by
striking it against the curbstone. lie was
taken to the police station. and after his
injury was dressed went to his home.
THE Old BRAEDYwINE MILLS.
The first flour mill on the Brandywine
was owned by Ashmond Steaham. II was
built previous to 1878 and occupied the site
of the old barley mill. Samuel Kirk OBJ
tanned this site in 1923 and four years later
he purchased land further down the stream
and nearer the head of tide water. He
erected residence and . mill near what
is known as Bishopsteau, the residence of
Bishop Coleman. Subsequently this mill
became the property of Oliver Candy, who.
died about 1865.
Soon after Mr.. Candy came in possession
OF this property Peter Vandever and his
sons. who owned hundreds of acres of land
on the upper side of the creek, formed
company and built grist and corn mill
on that side of the stream. LIN 1855 they
erected hipped-roof mill, for the opera
ton of which they used a breast or under
shot wheel, which was considered superior
to Mr.. Canby's mill.
When the Kings road was opened and
q bridge put across the Brandywine. Mr..
Candy built mill or the lower side of the
creek just below that road, and William
Marshall and Peter Vandever, Jr., erected
one on the upper side of the stream nearly
opposite Mr.. Canby's mill. The south
long race was made in 176l and the north
long race in 1863. Thomas Gibson built a
mill on the lower side of French street in
1852, and Thomas Shipley erected one on
tho cite pf 40 raFu
afterwards. Mr.. GibsOn's mill, which
subsequently became the property of Nor
ton IL Poole, was burned III 1910, but was
rebuilt soon thereafter.
Later Samuel Hollingsworth built
double mill further down the creek,
which, after having several changes of
ownership, was burned in 1880. The mills
of the William Lea 4 Sons Company were
built OH the site of the plant of the Van
dever Company. The big mill owned by
Thomas Lea, the grandfather of Preston
and William Lea, was erected in 1871 and
burned in 1919. 1t was rebuilt the follow
ing year. Subsequently it had several
owners, including James and Joseph I.
Price. Afterwards it became the property
of Joseph Tatnall and William Lea and
finally it passed into the hands Of the
latter's heirs. These heirs built in 1851 the
large six-story mill which was erected OH
the sites of William LEAFS mill and the
Vandeyer Company's mill and which was
burned Saturday.
Nothing is known in regard to the origin
of the fire
According to fire department ideas it
started on the south side of the mill and
was driven by the wind then prevailing. a
south wind to the north. The statement
is made that rusty shaft that had been
used for some time and that had been
suddenly put in use last night caused
ignition of the flour dust The location is
given as the lower end of the mill and at
the side towards the river.
An unofficial estimate of the loss is
S150,000 or S1T5000 at the outside. 1t has
been asserted outside of the office also that
the property is insured TO about rs per
cent of its value.
As the building is now the long southern
wall facing the river hangs out over the
Brandywine at dangerous angle. 1t may
fall at any moment.
The stack, engine and engine room of
IA mill and also its boiler room is only
water damaged, the structure is intact.
The whole of the. morning the ruins
were visited by large crowds. The police
had their hands full in keeping order and
this they did we'll.
The "A" mill was built by William Lea
Il Sons i'll lSSl-S2. It was ll0y52 feet, five
stories high, and contained % sets of rolls
and five pairs of mill stones. This mill
was used exclusively for the manufacture
of flour. The mills production capacity
is rated at $500 barrels of flour and corn
meal day, exclusive of special products.
The contlagration at the William Lea
& Sons mills will probably go on record
as of unknown origin. The likelihood,
however, is that the indirect cause is the
ignition of the flour dust, a very usual
origin of flour mill fires.
The tiremen were called to the mills
again Saturday night. 1t was found
that flames had broken out in the small
warehouse at the cast end of tho "a"
mill. A still alarm was sent to the
Friendship engine house and that com
pany responded. Tho firemen ex-
tinguished it. But another alarm was
struck at 1880 and the Washington and
Phoenix joined the Friendship. Chief
Shields kept the streams at work until
every evidence of fire was obliterated.
The iromen remained at the mills al
most all day. At p. nj. the firemen
were ordered back to their engine houses
as all further possibility of danger
seemed past.