The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-20
The Fire Department Hampered In
Its Work by the scarcity
of Water Plugs.
J. D. ADAMS NOTIFIED OF LOSS
HE WAS IN BED WHEN CALLED BIZ
A JOURNAL REPORTER.
He Has at This Time One Hundred Or
ders tn FILA Talk with
Frank Van Camp.

A fire at midnight at KENTUCKY aVenue
and White river, which destroyed over
$4,000 worth of property belonging TO the
Van Camp Packing Company and the In
dianapolis bridge and iron works, Of which
]. d. Adams is the sole owner. gave
the fire department the first hard work
i: has had for months. and furnished en-
tertainment for about 1900 people who were
attracted to the place by the three alarms
which were turned in and the light OF
the fire. which could be seen from all parts
of the city.
The fire started at the northeast corner
OF the shop of the bridge company. and
when discovered had secured much head
way. 1t at first did not appear TO be of
a dangerous nature. The building. how
ever, was of wood. and being dry and with
plenty of air shafts, the fire had soon
made its way throughout the building. and
by the time Jerry Dunn and George +.
Crockett, watchmen in the Van Camp
plant, who discovered the fire while max
ing their rounds inside their building. had
turned in the alarm, the fire in the shop
of the bridge company was breaking out
on the north side.
There was a strong breeze blowing from
the east, and this carried the flames to
the Van Camp plant. which was ada
cent. The wind CARED the fire fast into
the Van Camp property. and before the
fire department had got water running,
process departments were ablaze.
THE ALARMS.
Two alarms were turned i'm within ten
minutes. the first being at HISS O'Clock p.
m. A special alarm was turned in at i2:s2
a m. the call being for more wagons
with hose. that in service not being long
enough to reach the place at which the
water was needed.
Companies 6 and II were first at the fire,
and the lis had the first water on the
fire. At that time the FIRE had gradu-
house. which is about 800 feet long and sixty
feet wide. and in which all of the stock Is
stored, and where also the soups and cat
sups are manufactured. Fire could be seen
through the windows in the center OF this
building at the rear. and it looked as IL
the whole building was doomed. The
wind which seemed opportunely TO become
stronger and several streams of water
subdued the blaze and kept the fire in the
canning department away. The roof of the
canning department building fell not long
danger to the main structure.
The canning and process department
buildings were filled with light materials.
crates and machinery. which were covered
with oils. and there was at no time
chance of putting out the fire there. Neither
was there a chance of the fire I'm the build
ings OF the bridge company being extin-
guished, and most of the attention of the
firemen was given to saving the Van Camp
plant.
At O'Clock the IRE had burned itself out
near the brick structure OF the Van Camp
plant and there was. because of the wind
blowing the fire away from ii. no further
oanger of fits lgniting
While the Van Camp plant was being
watched two large buildings Of the bridge
company used for the manufacture settlng-
up and storage of roadmaking machinery.
which constituted "A large part OF the Blfsi-
ness of the company, caught fire. They
stood within about fifteen feet OF the shop
where the fire started and I'm some myster-
ious manner had not caught fire until the
whole OF the shop had almost burned itself
out.
DROVE FIREMEN BACK
The road machinery departments were
filled with fine machinery and in them
were oils and quantity Of tar which. when
the fire got under headway. burned with
such herceness that the hremen were
driven back
The plant OF the Farmers Fertilizer Com
pany Is located 10 the west and south OF
the road machinery buildings and only
about fifty feet distant. As the wind car
ried the flames almost that far there was
for a time danger that this build
ing. which is about five hundred
feet long and about eighty feet wide. would
also burn. and watchmen were stationed on
the top OF the building with lines OF small
hose 10 watch for the first signs OF fire
there.
At l:SO o'clock the fire was under control
and all danger TO other buildings was over.
A large stable belonging TO the Van Camp
plant al the rear OF a yard and in a direct
line with the fire did not burn. The yard
was filled with hulls OF peas and straw
and large crates In which the produce 10