The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-06
LOSS AT LEAST $50, 900
I'VE Are Not Giving Up, We Are Ready
to Fill Orders"
THE INSURANCE WAS LESS THAN $40, 900
Telephone and Telegraph Communication Shut
off. Both Tracks Burned Out. No
Trains Could Pass Until Late
Last Night.
Last Night.
(Staff Correspondenee.)

totill correspondence
Cary, n. c., June 4--The entire plant
of the Cary Lumber Cmpany was totally
destroyed by fire early this afternoon.
The most conservative estimate of the
loss sustained places it at $4,000 The
insurance amounted to less tnan 100000.
1t was the biggest and most destruct-
i've fire that has occurred in this sec
tion for years, perhaps in all its history.
One million feet of lumber, covering
about two acres of ground were destroy
ed together with all tie buildings and
machinery of the plant. Nothing was
saved except one office building md one
fat car load of undressed lumber.
That almost the whole of Cary was not
wiped out is miracle, as there are rows
of dwellings, just across the road from
the lumber plant. The fact that the
wind was not very brisk was the only
thing that saved large part of the town.
AS it was, not single building outside
of the plant itself was burned There
we're no means whatever of lighting the
fire, as rhere are no water works at Cary.
The lumber Company had a large tank
into which water was forced from d
srian creek nearby. But this tank made
of wood caught fire itself very early
and all the water was lost through holes
burned in its sides.
Although Cary is fully eight miles
from Raleigh, so great was the conda-
grafton that the smoke was easily seen
from the streets here by o'clock, half
hoJr after the first blaze was noticed by
those at the Plant. Telephone calls for
Cary failed to get connection, and CEN
tral reported that the wires wero down.
This caused the most intense uneasiress,
as it.was feared that the whole town was
being consumed by The flames. 1t was
the same when tno 'ale"raph was tried.
All the wires Werc doND. Method was
the nearest point that could De reached.
1t was reported. too, that the Seaboard
Air Line fast train, north bound, cx-
pected here ahout noon, could not rass
Cary on account OF the fiie
Then the Raleigh people who had fam
lilies or relatives in Cary started for the
scene of the fire with many m msgivngs,
and they Went as fast as horses or bicy
cles coui carry them. The scene as one
reached Carv was terrible one. The
smoke vas dense and binding, and the
heat was parching, terrific. Great piles
of lumber that had contained hundreds Of
thousands of feet each, were blazing like
huge bonfires, and some were reduced
&c a heap of hot white. ashes Through
the smoke and flames could be seen in
distinctly a great mass of twisted and
broken iron and steel This was all
that remained of the machinery used in
TIE saw mills. four engines and three
boilers. There was the water tank
blazing and smoking and dripping water.
strange sight, with its tall wooden
supports charred and smoking, threaten
ing every minute 10 fall upon the office
building, the only building saved from
the entire plant.
At first it was thought this office build
ing must go with the rest as at one time
the wind, which had been about North
west, shifted, and it seemed as if it was
all up with this small frame house: but
the wind changed back TO it's original
quarter, and it was saved. All the fur
niture and office belongings. papers,
etc, were removed hurriediy and strew-
ed on the ground nearby. 1t was
thought many important papers were
lest.
The telegraph and telephone poles for
distance of nearly quarter CT a mile
along the railroad track were burned
down and The wires we're lying on the
ground. The Postal telegraph Company
lost eight poles, and he Western Union
about the same number. The railroad
ties were burned our For nearly a quar-
ter of mile on both the Seaboard Air
Line and Southern tracks. There stood
the trains, effectually blocked and
transferring their passengers around the
fire to enable them to get into Raleigh.
WrecKirg trains from Hamlet and
Greensboro we're being hurried to the
spot. and it is said that great efforts
would be made to get the tracks into
passable condition by tonight.
There werc the wheels and charred re-
mains of FIVE freight cars that he'd been
standing at the yards waiting to be I'M
loaded There We're seven cars there,
but two were saved, one loaded With
lumber and one empty. \ Seaboard Air
Line engine went out from Raleigh anl
brought in the one load rescued.
Mr.. j. G. Angler. Secretary and Treas
urer of the company. happened 10 be in
Cary today, having run down from
Durham. When asked how the fire