The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1895-07-18
THE PLANT IN RUINS.
Champion Stoneware Co. Has 100000 Blaze-More
Rotten Hose Very Few Fire
Plugs.

lIt DitibU VI phO ChbiipiOh
Stoneware Company, at the foot of Doug
las street, along the Cleveland, Canton g.
Southern tracks, was almost totally de-
stroyed by fire last night The loss is
estimated at about $50, 900, about two
thirds of which Is covered by insurance.
The blaze started In the kiln at the east
end of the kiln shed, and was first dis
covered by Harry Helfrich, who is en-
ployed at the works, and was in the vicin-
| ity at the time. He Mt once notified JOS
| eph Pruesser, who was acting as engineer,
and the two tried to extinguish the flames
| with the hose at the works The hose
could not be joined together, and after
some delay, Helfrich ran to box No. 30, at
the corner of Robin and Bucher streets,
and turned in the alarm. He states that
the alarm was rang In within three min
utes after he discovered the blaze. 1t was
| TAO o'clock when the department. re-
ceived the alarm and the companies re-
sponded promptly.
1t was soon discovered that the fire
would be disastrous one at best, and a
general alarm was turned In from the
same box. This brought all the apparatus
in the city to the scene of the cOnflagra-
ton.
| THE ORIGIN.
Just how the blaze started is not
known, but 1t originated in the last kiln
to the east, which was filed with burned
ware, the fires having been put out two
days before. When first discovered by
Harry Helfrich, the flames were shooting
out of the kiln, but there did not appear
to be very much fire. The men thought
they could extinguish 1t with the hand
hose and might possibly have done so
had they been able to get 1t to work. OF
course there was some little delay in turn
ing in the alarm, and there was more de-
lay after the department. arrived on the
scene.
The fire plugs were few and far be-
tween, and a great amount of hose had to
be put out before the companies could get
to work on the fire. This all took time,
and then there was some complaint about
the low pressure of the water. The
streams certainly did not appear to be
very strong, but perhaps it is fortunate
the pressure was low, as had 1t been up to
the usual standard there would have been
very little of the hose that would have
stood the test
MUCH BURSTED HOSE.
More delay was caused by the bursting
of hose, not less than nine sections having
seemed as soon as the men got good
stream on the fire. the hose would burst,
and had to be repaired. While all this
was going on the flames were spreading
rapidly. They soon communicated to the
main building and in very short time
this was one mass of flames. The blaze
shot high in the air, and the heat was so
intense that it was with great difficulty
the tiremen could do their work. The
boys fought the flames nobly, and had
they been properly equipped, there is little
doubt much of the building could have
been saved. 1t was soon seen that the
main building was doomed, and attention
was turned to the adjacent warehouse OF
the company, and other buildings in the
immediate vicinity. 1t required hard
work to keep these from catching fire, but
the flremen were successful in keeping
the flames from doing further damage.
WALLS FELL.
Several streams were at work on the
main structure, but the flames had
secured such headway that nothing could
be saved. The fire roared, and seemed tC
lick up the water as quick as it reached
the building. The only thing that stop
ped the blaze was when everything in the
building had burned First the roof fell
in and this was soon followed by the side
walls. Section after section of the hose
, continued to burst and the Canton city
council was severely criticised for its fail
IRE to supply the fire department with
proper material.
Shortly after the fire started, Charles
Norris rushed into the building and saved
the telephone. This was about the only
thing that was saved from the structure
1t was 40 this morning when the firt
was extinguished and the different com
panies returned to the houses.
ANOTHER BLAZE.
At / :35 o'clock this morning fire agar
broke out in the debris on the south side
of the building The hose wagon from
the central engine house responded, ant
|, , soon had the flames extinguished. TIL,
!, apparatus remained until 80 this morn
! ing in order to prevent another outbreal
of the flames. 1t was feared that the larg'
. warehouse might catch fire.
AN OFFICIAL TALKS.
al Herman Pruesser, president and sup
! eriEtendent of the company, was seen las
! night by News Democrat reporter
while the flames were still raging furi
ously. He was severe, but just, in hi
criticism of the failure to give manufac
\ turers proper fire protection. He said th
fremen were doing all In their power u
! save the works, but were almost power
: less on account of the poor hose. Mr.
q Pruesser was of the opinion that had tn
q men been properly supplied with goot
! hose, and plenty Of fire plugs, the blaz
|. could have been extinguished with yer,
| little loss.
III THE LOSS.
= The plant is total wreck, and will o
& course necessitate the shutting down o
a the works. President Pruesser places tn
n loss on building and contents at between
a $50, 900 and $4,000 He is unable a
, present to say whether the plant will b.
q rebuilt.
The main building was oomparativel
new, having been built only a few years
1t was one of the very best arrange
d plants of the kind in the state, the month
!, ly output being 10000 gallon
" Tho o,,tnut xUaR worth In the naiOhhof