The evening times., 1900-07-12
A BLAZE IN CUMBERLAND.
Cement Works and other Valuable
Property Destroyed by Fire

CUMBERLAND. Nd. July 12.-Fire de-
stroyed the large mill Of the Cumberland
Hydraulic Cement Company. on Wits
creek. YESTERDAY. together with the ware
house and Office. both under the same roof,
the cooper shop aud the stable. The COOP
er shed was partially burned. as Were the
kiln coverings. The carpenter and black
smith shops and the WheeIhouse were
saved. The loss may reach $3.50. .000, with
insurance OF $4,000. Marion 5. AckeTulan
and Ernest r. Ackerman. OF Plsiuheld. y.
J.. are the principal stockholders George
Gephart. OF Cumberland, Is also interested.
William l. Sperry is superintendent.
The origin Of the IRE Is unknown The
men were at dinner when il started and
there are different theories as TO the part
OF the buiIsing in which il first broke out.
The flames made lightning like progress
and il was regarded as fortunate that the
FIRE occurred when Il did. for il the men
had been in the mill it is probable there
would have been some casualties sue
cession Of explosions frightened the people.
They were caused BY dynamite stored IN
the wsrehouss-
In less thaa an hour the whole OF the
frame building. go by 50 feet. with CORFU
gated sides. was entirely destroyed. i1clud-
ing the basement. The mill was three sJo-
ries. The dry cement dust aided the
flames. the cement burning like finder.
The fire throws 146 men out OF employ
ment. This includes blasters and tunnel
men The plant IS not likely 10 be rebuilt
The plant was very busy. orders constant
ly coming in. and a very prosperous season
was ahead large quantity OF Portland
cement was destroyed Seven Baltimore
and Ohio cars on the siding were consum-
ed Several OF the cars had been loaded.
The stable OF Wills Creek Tannery Of
the United States Leather Company was
also destroyed. the loss being $l.50o- The
extensive tanning plant and bark sheds.
with thousands OF tons OF bark were in
great danger.
Many houses CD North Mechanic Street.
across the creek. opposite the mill caught
fire from flying sparks. Every resident was
a FIRE fighter. and with the aid of small
hose and buckets all the houses were
saved
The engine house Of the Cumberland
Hose Company is near the mill. but before
the fremen could respond the flames had
communicated to the iron bridge leading
from the city to the mill and drove the FIRE
men back They were then compelled TO
wade through the creek with their hose
The woodwork CT the bridge, all the west
enc was burned The lremen were some
what handicapped by the long distance Of
the freplugs and the creek between Two
companies were compelled TO wade through
the creek 20 reach the fire This is the
third time the Cumberland Cement Works
have been burned. Considerable valuable
new machinery was recently installed
William Hiser. contracting cooper at the
mill. places his loss at 8. 800: Insurance e.
$500. He lost 500 barrels. SEQ worth of ma
teriaI Just put in the cooper shop AMI $500
worth in the shed. Mr.. Hiser employed ten
men.
Charles B. Ferguson, engineer, and John
0glebsy cement test clerk succeeded in
saving the books from the Office Mr. Ogle-
bay was overcome By the heat end had 20
be dragged up the hill away from the hre
hair singed. He saved the four 15o-hors :
power boilers by keeping them flooded with
water. The engine however, was ruined.
The fire burned down t1e wires OF the
Pennsylvania and the Georges Greek nd
Cumberland Railroads ana damaged the T
tracks so badly that beth had to use the
Baltimore and Ohio tracks o get out OF the
city
J. B. Roberts. aged thirty. clerk in the
West Virginia Central ZailEay Office wfEe
returning from the FIRE, stepped out OF the
way Of one Baltimore and Ohio train and
vas struck by another. Both legs and en- d,
arm were cut of He died at the Western
Maryland Hospital He was recently mar
ried Mr. Roberts formerly taught SCHOOL
in Bedford. Pa, where his widowed mother
resides.