Delaware gazette and state journal., 1900-01-18
FIRE CAUSES 100000 LOSS.
Destructive CONFEDERATION at the
Delaware Hard Fibre Works.

Ever Had TO Contend WftiI--ir'iry-on-
Top works Also Much insmaged-Th
Fire Loss Reduced by an Insuranco Of
Abont ssO,u0O.
The block bounded by Tenth, Union
| and Eleventh streets and the Baltimore
Il Ohio railroad, containing the plants
| Of the Delaware Hard Fibre Co., tho
Taily-cn-Top Co., and the Brandywine
| Machine Works, all Of which are prac-
tically under the same management.
| was fire swept last week, causing the
almost total destruction OF the several
| establishments. "A frame dwelling
house at the Tenth street end, and a
portion of the Tally -on Top building at
| tho Eleventh street end Of the block
arc two parts of the property not
entirely DESTROYED. BY the fire 80 en-
ployes of the fibre company, and 20 of
the Tally-on-Top Co., are temporarily
| thrown out OF work, and tho loss to the
companies may reach 500, 600, on which
| there is S79,500 insurance.
| The fire was discovered about 10
O'Clock by jasper Burrell, colored, the
night watchman, 1t was then in the
second story of, the fibre company's
| building and the flames were shooting
| through tho elevator shaft. Time was
| lost in sounding an alarm, which was
sent in from box 112, at Pennsylvania
| avenue and Scott street, about 1870
O'Clock. The district engines responded,
and about half an hour later, Chief
Engineer Sasse. who had risen from n
sickbed to 60 TO the fire, sent in a
general alarm, which called out the
entire department.
A brisk wind was blowing and the
| flames were famed to fury, so that the
streams Of water directed by the fire.
men against the great expanse of burn
ing structure seemed for scme time TO
have but little effect. The wind had
an unobstructed mark in the several
buildings that formed the plants.
Many persons were attracted to the
scene and watched the fine from the
convenient oEen territory in the neigh
borhood. A man driving from Fair
| vile to this city said it looked as if
half the town was afire.
On a siding of the b. & @. railroad,
adjoining the burning buildings. we're
three freight cars. which caught fire,
and the contents Of one were practically
destroyed before shifting ergine had
| drawn them away from the flames. All
three were damaged.
+ Electric light wires were out by en-
ployes of tho Wilmington City Electric
Co. Police Captain Kane noticed that
telegraph pole was on fire and about
to fall; upon his calling the attention
of the firemen to il, they put out the
blaze. The pole carried wires Of a
| main telegraph line between this city
| and Washington.
/ While the fire was in progress several
small explosions occurred in the rear of
the plant where the boiler room was
and where chemicals were kept. The
| fibre sputtered and cracked and oc-
casionally piece OF the wall fell.
| Valuable machinery was destroyed
together with all the stock. Hard
fibre for electrical appliances, and
trunks and satchels were manufactured.
4 William H. Swift is president of the
fibre company.
Some-of the office furniture and stock
OF the Tally on Top Co. OF which Joseph
Swift is president, was saved Harry
Tatnal rushed into the office aud
secured the cash box and some valuable
books. The company makes machines
for registering customers uichases.
1t had q consignment for. John Wana-
maker in preparation for shipment.
The destruction of the Brandywine
Machine Works carried with it many
1 DhbibFUS dDu UIHtlS. III AuulIlOu LO
making machinery for the two other
for morocco machinery for Foerderer of
Philadelphia. Charles G. Rupert is
the manager of the fibre company and
machine works. 2
The total insurance on the Delaware
Hard Fibre Co. IS plant was SEC, 900,
placed by Gilpin & 20. in about 20
companies. On the Talley on Top Co. IS
plant tho insurance was sll, 900, placed
by Gilpin S Co., and $1,000 in the
Delaware Fire Insurance Co.
Joseph Swift of the Talley- on Top
Co., said Thursday that the extent
Of the loss 10 1T depended upon tho
damage TO the printing presses, of
which there are IL. Some of these arc
under masses of debris. The greater
part of the building is intact. although
stock and paper is damaged.
While hremen were in this building
trying to stop the spread of tho
flames, the wall in front of them began
to totter and they were warned in time
to escape. Their hose was left bohind
and scorched. Two dyDainos supplied
light to the whole plants. One was
recently put in and, last week was the
first time it was used. Both vera
wrecked The two smukestacks of the
establishments fell down, one of them,
an iron stuck falling across the Western
Union Telegraph wires ,and breaking
several about = o'clock Thursday.
I.inemen had job to oxtricatel tho
wires that supported the heavy weight.
1t is not yet definitely known whether
the Elant will bo rebuilt but it il
| probable that 1t will be. The fibre
company and the machine works were
| hnth we'll lilnnliad " with- nnntracta