Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1895-10-03
Big FIRE AT MALINTA.
Dewey StaYe Works and Other Proper
ty Destroyed.
Loss s65 900. Insurance So, 900

Malinta was visited by very dis
astrous fire last Saturday afternoon
in which the plant of the Dewey
Staye Company was entirely wiped
out. The plant occupied piece OF
ground about go rods square and was
situated near the Glover Leaf rail-
road tracks in the eastern part OF the
town. The property consumed CON
sisted of the large stave factory the
largest in the county, three saw mills,
two large dwelling houses, one barn,
numerous stave sheds in which were
stored nearly 5000, 900 slaves, 81 box
cars, 100 bushels of corn, several tons
of hay, 90 tons of coal and 150, 900 feet
of logs. everything being owned by
the Dewey Stave Co., of Toledo, with
the exception of the box cars which
were the property Of the Glover Leaf
Railroad Co. -,
The fire started in the roof of the
stave shed at the extreme southwest
ern part of the plant and was caused
by a spark from the local freight en-
CINE which was switching cars at the
time. The engine is the poorest one
on the road, having no spark arrest
er, and had set fire to the different
sheds several times within the past
wear. The fire was discovered before
it had gained any headway and a
Young kboy was sent on the. rooi
with a pail of water to eXtinguish 1t.
The boy slipped and fell, sp1lllng the
water, and before more could be
handed up the fire had spread over
the entire roof. ~
The sheds were covered with slabs
and the slaves were as dry as tinder,
The foreman of the works, Sam Sar'
geant, ordered steam got up in the
pumping boiler, thinking that with
| the aid of the hose the fire could be
confined to the sheds. Notwlthstand-
ing steam can be raised and water
thrown by this pump inside OF IL
minutes, before that time was up, the
fire had spread over the entire plant
and drove the men from the boilers,
The entire works were seen to be
doomed and the efforts OF the clti-
zens were now turned toward saving
the row of buildings directly across
the street. The wind was blowing
quite gale from the southeast and
a shower of sparks and burning wood
was raining on these houses. Just
as they were about to be given up
the men being driven from the roofs
by the heat, the wind changed te
the west and the flames and burning
embers were carried into the woods
and empty fields.
In less than an hour the fire hat
completed it's work of destruction
and the flames were under control
Nothing whatever was left standing
of what was big enterprise except
the engines and few iron stave cut
ters. The heat was so intense thai
the rails on the tracks of the Glover
Leaf were warped and twisted sc
that the east bound passenger was
delayed over two hours. VIM. Sick
miller lives right north OF the factory
and the heat was so great that sever
al hogs belonging to him were roast
ed in their pen. Fruit on the
trees was partially baked, the tree
killed and the window lights in th'
houses cracked.
One of the large houses consumed
was occupied by the families of Amo
Neuschwander and Frank Perry
Mr.. Neuschwander saved few arti
cles but Mr.. Perry lost everything
The other house was occupied b.
Clint. Bowers, who saved the most o
his goods There was no insuranc,
carried by any of these gentlemen.
The loss sustained by the Dewe.
Stave Company on their factory /
estimated by Mr.. Sergeant at betweel
$4,000 and $45,000, and the stave
and other consumed property will
bring the loss up to about $4,000
with only 5000 insurance with Tole
do parties.
The factory employed 80 hand
when running, but only 6 stav
jointers were at work at the time @
the fire. This will be quite loss t
Malinta as the factory will in a
probability not be rebuilt. The tin
Der has been about cleaned out an
the prospects of another stave fat
tory for Malinta are very poor.
4 Several persons were injured dul
ing the fire from falling from built
ings, but the most serious injurie
were sustained by Chas. Tunget VIII
fell from the boarding house roc