The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-10-04


WARREN, r. l., Oct. S.-ons Of the
largest fires that has ever occurren in
GoushOaItern New England, broke out
in ono OF the three mills OF the Warren
Manufacturing Company, situated about
an eighth OF mile from tho centre Of
this town, juIs after o'clock tonight,
aud before It was gotten under control
It had swept through tAreo largo cotton
mills, two WarehoulcS, ANAL sheds,
freight cars and other property, cSualug
a loss which is estimated az more than
a million dOllArS.
The tire started In tho wash room,
near tho engine room Of No. l mill, aud
spread with great rapidity through the
building, and threatening adjoining
property. Within au hour after thO
blaze was discovered the flames Wero
roaring through all three mills, Tho
magnitude OF the fire ut once bocUmO
apparent TO the local department, and
help was Immediately summoned from
Bristol, Fall River and Providence. An
engine from Bristol, one from Fall
River aud two steamers, two hose carts
and three companies from Providence
responded, arriving on special trains.
The scene when these out'of'tOwn com,
panica arrived was appalling. Tho
whole OF tho southern part ot the littlO
town seemed 10 be 0 roaring maGs OF
flames, threatening not only the tens.
ment house Of tho manufacturing COM
pAuy, near by, but even ondangoring
the business part OF the town, some
distance oil,
WATER GIVES our
Almost Immediately after the Ad.
dlEiOnal force had started to work the
water supply began to give out, and
although the automatic sprInklOra were
turned on In all Of the three mills and
six inches Of water stood upon all tho
floors, very little proGroIs was made.
A carload OF tar aud another OF cotton
standing on track Ia tho mill yard
becoming iguitod furnished admirable
food for the fire in the sweep through
tho great plant The h0at was inIui.
iorablO. and soon 1t was impossible to
cot within 200 feet OF tho buildings. At
10 o'clock the flames were threSteRing
two wRrohouIe8, containing 100000
worth oil property.
At l0:3O they caught and in few
moments had become roaring furnace.
A few minutes the flames jumped from
these buildings to tho adjoining lumber
yard OF Ezra Martin and his entire
stock Of coal, wood aud dressed lum Der
were food for tho FIRE. Shortly before
IL o'clock, tho walls Of two Of tho mills
fell in and the dwelling houses occupied
by tho operatives, which also caught
fire, 40 that Il seemed to be spreading
in two directions.
by most persistent and aIIiduous
efforts, however, the aremen gained
control Of tho contlagration at midnight,
but all that was left OF tho big factories
was ono house, and the tonemonts were
a blazing ruins. The ontire contents Of
the plant were destroyed.
Several persons Ia tho crowd OF specta.
tors wore Injured by flying bricks, but
none were seriously hurt, Whom tho
roof oil tho warehouse fell, four Provi.
dsnco AremOn we're caught. They OS.
capped by crawling down the water pipe
and then jumping distance Of AvOn.
teen feet Two wore slightly injured.
THE LOSSES,
The losses arc eltimatod aa follows:
Warehouses and factories, $4,000;
material, $4,000; lumber yard, $4,000;
tOuomonts, $4,000; total, 81, l,15O,0OO.
FnO local fire service was ridiculouIly
inadequate. Tho Warren MRnuiacLur.
ing Company is one Of the largest cot.
ton manufacturing corporations in tho
country.
The thrcO mills destroyed we're each
700 ieot long, iyo stories Ia height and
containing In all $1,000 spindloS. Six.
teen hundred operatives, compromising
nearly all tho working forces OF tho
town, wers employed.
Tho Insurance. on tho whole Of the
compnDy'H property amounts to 81, ,0jO,-
600, aud az this insurance is In mutual
company Of all tho mill owners in Now
England, tho middle and central states
will each bN called upon to pay pro.
portionalu share Of tho loss, which will
amount to $500 TO $1,000 on Ouch shRre.
holder.
It was Singul fact that President
H. 4. Swift, OF lllU corporation, diOd
this afternoon.
CoUNTEHTIIrEHS CAUGHT,