The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1901-11-26

The works of the Cleveland Axle
Manufacturing company, at the corner
OF Dueber avenue and Bridge street,
were partially destroyed by fire which
broke out shortly before IL o'clock
Friday night. The loss is estimated
at $4,000 and is covered by insurance.
1t is the intention of the company to
lebuild at once.
About 800 men were employed at the
plant and will be thrown out of WORK
temporarily. OF this number only fifts
were employed in the departments
which were destroyed. The company
proposes to place the balance of the
works in operation just as soon as one
Ut the engines can be overhauled and
the shafting can be repaired. This
work was begun early Saturday morn
ing and 1t is expected that it will he
completed early in the week, when the
operation of the major portion of the
plant will be resumed
Many of the men who were employed
in the destroyed portion of the plant
will be retained in the work of recon-
struction so that few will be Obliged to
lose much time as result of the fire.
The building occupied by the plant
was 600 feet in length by 60 feet In
width, fronting on Dueber avenue and
extending north along Bridge street.
The front portion of the building is
occupied by the machine shop and the
shipping department. In the centre is
a heavy fire wall, separating the en-
gine room from the machine shop
North of the engine room is the forge
room and the blacksmith department
FIRE WALL SAVED PLANT.
The fire started in the engine room
and spread Rapidly to the two depart
ments in the rear, but could not reach
the machine shop on account of the
protecting wall. The engine room, the
forge room and the blacksmith shop
were totally destroyed. The roof, on
this portion of the building, fell. car
rying portions of the walls with it and
making a chaotic wreck of the entire
north end of the structure.
The fire was first discovered by
Night Watchman Fitzsimmons at 10:45.
He telephoned to the central engine
house giving the alarm, after making
a vain effort to open the nearest box.
The alarm was received at 10: SO and
central responded promptly after noti-
flying the other stations. 1t is a long
run to the plant and when the firemen
arrived the entire northern portion
was in flames. earring that the pres
sure in this portion of the city would
be low, Chief Mesnar ordered the
steamer taken to the scene of the fire.
Owing to the fact that no alarm had
been sent in the water works depart
ment did not put on the extra pressure
until notified later by telephone. The
firemen were greatly handicapped in
the early stages of the fight owing to
the very low pressure and the steamer
vas brought into service with good
effect.
But owing to the delay in reaching
the scene and getting good streams at
work the fire made fast progress and
got beyond control. Later efforts of
the firemen were directed toward saw
ing the other portion of the plant and
" ith the assistance of the heavy Dire
wall were successful in doing SO. A
number of workmen provided them
selves with apparatus and rendered ef-
ficient service in keeping the fire out Of
the machine shop and shipping depart
ment.
FIREMEN WORKED HOURS.
The firemen kept streams playing on
the flames for hours and 1t was after
3 o'clock Saturday morning when the
last company withdrew.
Fitzsimmons, the nightwatchman, is
unable to say just how the fire start
cd. He makes round of the plant
every fifteen minutes during the night
and had found everything all right in
the engine room on his previous trip.
The fire was first noticed In the partl-
tion separating the engine room from
the forge room. Fitzsimmons says a
spark from the stack may have fallen
Upon the roof near this and caused
The coniagration.
.- J. @. Oliver. the superintendent, ex-.
pressed an opinion that spark from
<hs welder had lain dormant during
(he evening and had finally ignited,
o<tinG dro to the partition.