The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-02-12
COLTS FACTORY BURNED.
A S25o,OoO Fire at Hartford-S
enty-Five Presses Valued at
$4,000 Not Insured.

HARTFORD Conn, Feb 11.-Colt's
Patent Fire Arms manufactory was
destroyed by fire this afternoon, in.
voiving n loss OF nearly $3.50, OOO The
fire sta rted near the boiler house, and
when discovered had communicated
with an elevator and a tier or closets
running up three stories near the main
wall OF the east armory The build
ings where the fire originated were Of
stone and brick, three stories and near
II 400 feet long. connecting the east
and west armories.
By the time the department got fairly
to work one-half the long building
connecting the two armories was ablsze
from base to attic, and the efforts Of
the firemen were then directed to saw
ing the east armory. Lines of hose
were soon run up into the third and
fourth floors of the east armory, and
the progress of the flames was headed
off in that direction.
The fire, in the meantime, was SLOW
ly working Its way toward the West
armory, II building 500 feet long and
three stories high. 1t had already eaten
through brick fire wall foot thick
aud was working it's way through the
attic over the heads of the firemen
who were bravely trying to stop its
progress on the floor below. For some
reason the stairs leading to the attic
could not be found AMI the flames
made rapid progress among the season
ed gun stocks and other comoustible
material stored there. Finally Il line
OF hose was run up into the attic of the
west armory aud in through an iron
door the tiremsn faced the smoke aud
fire for nearly half an hour. 1t was
their last stand and it was what saved
the west armory.
As soon No the fire burned through
the roof the smoke was drawn away
from them and the fremen then fol-
lowed up their advantage and quickly
brought the fire under control. In two
hours from that time it was practically
out. The three story bull ling contain
ing the two armories is partially de
stroyed. EIst Of the dividing brick
walls it is all gone and west of it the
roof and the top story is burnt off
The loss on the buildings is estimated
at $13, 600 There were seventy FIVE
Universal presses ready for shipment
which were totally destroyed. IN the at
tic were 5000 black walnut gun stocks
seasoning, These were total loss
Theo. d. Pierce, nickel platter, on the
third floor lost most of his machinery.
All the other floors We're occupied by
the Colt company for storing and pack
ing purposes The concerns in the
west armory lose little and that by
water. The total loss will reach $3.50,
00O covered by insurance to tn
amount of 5000 600 The seventy ,fv,
presses, valued at 10000 were not in
sured.
Thirty years ago this month, on Feb
o. Colts factory was destroyed by fire
At that time the east armorv WAS to
tally destroyed. The cause OF the fir
then was thought to be of rebel origin
Five hundred hands are thrown out O
work, but if the boilers are intact, =
it is believed they are, the shops vii
be running in week,
The Colt works are about mile an,
4 half south of the city on the rive
front They occupy a large tract q
land and are notable feature in tn
landscape. The fire made a brillian
spectacle, which attracted throug o
people TO the scene.