The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-10-04
Loss by Fire at Warren, Rhode
Island
MILLS AND STOREHOUSES
Stocks, Lumber and Dwellings All Food
for Flame
Sixteen Hundred Operators Are Thrown
Out of Employment

Associated Press Special Wire.
WARREN, r. l., Oct. 4.-One OF the
largest fires that ever occurred in South
eastern New England broke out in one
of the mills of the Warren Manufacturing
company. situated about an eighth of
mile from the center of town, Just after
midnight tonight. and before il was
under control it had swept through three
large cotton mills.
Two warehouses. small sheds, freight
cars and other property were burned.
causing a loss which is estimated at more
than a million dollars. The fire started
in the wash room near the engine 700 M
o. No l mill. and spread with grLat
rapidIty through the building. Within
an honr after the blaze was discovered
the flames were roaring through al! three
mills.
carload of tar and another OF coal
standing on a track in the mill yard. be.
coming ignited, furnished admirable food
for the fire in its sweep through the great
plant. The heat was insufferable and
soon it was impossible to get within 200
feet Of the buildings. At 1 o'loocK the
flames were threatening two warehouses
containing $500, 900 worth of sea island
cotton and com pleted sheetings. At 1 80
the fire caught anew ana soon became a
roaring furnace. a lew minutes later
the flames jumped from these buildings
to the adjoining lum Der of r. A. Martin
and his entire stock of coal. wood and
dressed umher were food for the fire.
Shortly before clock the walls of two
of the mills fell in and the dwelling
house occupied by the operatives also
caught fire. so that it seemed to be
spreading in two directions.
By the most persistent and arduous
efforts, however, tho firemen gained con-
troll of the conhagration, but all that was
left OF the big factories, warehouses and
tenements was blazing pile OF ruins.
The entire contents of the plants were
destroyed, with the exception of fifty
bales of cotton from the warehous e,
which, after taking fire. dropped into
the water and were carried down the
bay blazing mass, endangering vessels
at anchor.
Several persons in the crowd of spec
tators were injured by flying Ebrcks, but
none were seriously hurt. When the
roof of the warehouse fell four Provi.
dence firemen were caught They es-
capped by crawling down the water pipe
and then Jumping a distance of seven
teen feet. Two were slightly mi ured.
The losses are estimated as follows:
Warehouse and factories, $500, 900; ma
terial $500, 900; lumber yards, $4,000;
tenements. $40, 600; total, 81, lbs, coo.
| The local fire service was ridlculously
| inadequate.
| The Warren Manufacturing com pany is
/ one OF the largest cotton manufacturing
| commentators in the COuDtrV. John Wnter-
man of Warren is the principal owner
and Warren and Providence people are
| the heaviest stockholders. The three
Mills destroyed were each 700 feet long,
! five stories in height and contained in
| all 81, 000 spindles. Sixteen hundred op-
eratives, comprising nearly all OF the
working force of the town, were en-
| ployed. The principal means of support
| in the town Is thus taken away. 1t IS
! said the plant will be rebuilt.
The insurance of the whole of the com
pany's porperty amounts to 81. $50. 900.