Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1897-12-02
LobdelTS Rim Factory Practi-
Cally Destroyed.
The Biggest Blaze In Marietta For Many
Years Past Occurred Wednesday Night.
Fire Department Does Excellent Work,
But Water Seemed Only to Feed
the Elames.-Loss Over $780,
900, with About S1S,-
900 Insurance.

The Lobdell bicycle rim factory on
Montgomery street, below Front, was
entirely destroyed by fire Wednesday
evening. The blaze was one of the
biggest in the city's history, and
esta blishment, the loss is one of grave
import to Marietta's businesstinterests.
The financial loss to Mr.. Lobdell
reaches far into the thousands and is
only partly covered by insurance.
At $50 p. m. the city was startled
by an alarm from box AZ and the VIC.
lent blowing of the factory whistle.
The department responded promptly,
but had hardly started on it's long run
to the scene until the heavens were
ablaze with the conhagration. The
fire burst forth furiously from a point
near the center of the works and the
seething flames shot heavenward with
demoniacal glee that seemed to de-
ride the panic stricken spectators and
defy the power of water to interrupt.
In brief space of time four heavy
streams were playing on the buildings
and Driver O'Neal came back for an ex-
ira supply of hose. Every available
foot cf hose in the city was pr pressed in
to service and taken to the fire, amount
in all to about 5000 feet.
The water pressure was sufficient
and it seemed that the torrent poured
into the flames must eventually have
it's effect, but the consuming element
gathered strength in its intensity
every minute and EMBODIED the big
buildings in seething envelope that
could not be dissolved.
The entire plant was Uttered with
dry sawdust and shavings. which
burned like tinder, and the flames
spread under the roof with inconceiv-
able rapidity.
The workmen in the factory are al
most unanimous in ascribing the start
of the conflagaration to a hot journal
on a sand-papering machine, as it was
first noticed in that locality and the
journal in question had been giving
tronble all day. The flames burst out
almost instantly and when first dis
covered had assumed fearful proper
tions.
The main building was beyond hope
of being sayed when the fire depart
ment arrived and the firemen devoted
their energies to saving other buildings
of the plant retreating stubbornly as
the deyouring element advanced, and
doing remarkably effective work. A
few small buildings and piles of lum-
Der were saved from total annihilation,
but with the exception of the new
paint shop on the north side of Mont.
gomery street the destruction was
practically complete. All the valuable
machinery of the plant, together with
thousands of finished and unfinished
rims, went up in smoke in the space of
few brief moments. After the fire
had been in progress about an hour a
can of benzine exploded with loud
report, but did no apparent damage.
The intense heat of the piles of burn.
ing hickory placed not only the paint
shop, but several dwellings, in jeopardy
but they were carefully watched and
none took fire. Several families resid
ing near resolved to be on the safe side
and removed their household effects tc
places of safety.
When the conflagration was at iti
height the scene was an awe-inspiring
though beautiful one and thousands Of
people were attracted as spectators
The street cars were loaded to theil
full capacity, while the livery stables
did thriving business. The wind
blowing from the North west endanger
ed the lumber yard at Elston's Mill,
but the Chair Factory department was
early on hand to dispute the right oi
the fire fend's advancement in that
direction, and the city department
watched we'll and closely every possible
avenue through which the blaze might
be communicated to adjacent property.
| The Marietta Paint and Color Co., OF
which Messrs. c. s. Dana and @. J. La