Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1902-08-07
FIRE AT READING
IRON WORKS

About u: 30 O'Clock last Thursday
night our citizens were aroused from
! their sleep by an alarm of fire in
which the hoarse whistle of the Read
ing Iron Works was heard mingled
with the sound of fire bells
The Reading Iron Works were on
fire and the flames already enveloping
a considerable portion of the structur
Illuminated the heavens and all the
lower end of town. Remembering the
fate of the big mill but little more
| than year ago when it was nearly
destroyed by fire and filled with sol
icitude and suspense the people pour
ed out of their houses and hurried to
the burning mill, many reaching the
spot III advance OF the fremen.
The fire originated in the 16-inch
mill. When first discovered it was a
very small flame eating its way into
the tlmbers on the side of the mill at
the stack between No and No. s
heating furnaces, very near the spot
where the fire originated last year
when the mill was so nearly destroy
ed.
The spread of the fire was remark
able. Before the men working could
| connect the mill hose the flames shot
up the side of the structure communi-
eating to the long ventilator Oh the roof
which in an instant was a seething
mass of fire. AS soon as the mill hose
were connected with the plug a steady
stream was poured upon the fire from
within the mill.
The Continental Hose Company be-
ing the nearest was the first to arrive
at the fire. The end of the l6-inch mill
| and both divisions of the roof then
were burning rapidly IL was a mo-
ment when the entire plant seemed
doomed and the crowd, which by this
time numbered nearly a thousand per
sons, stood by in breathless suspense.
The Continentals soon had a stream
upon the fire. A few minutes later
they were joined by the Goodwill
boys. Together the two companies,
assisted by the workmen inside the
mill, did good execution. There was a
fine water pressure and the firemen
outside the mill were able to play up
on the burning ventilators with ease.
In half an hour after the fire started
/ t.,
than an hour it was practically ex-
tinguished and the puddle mill resum-
ed work.
Both the Friendship and the Wash
ingtOn Hose companies were present
at the fire, but not i'll time to be of
much service. The Washes would
have got a stream upon the mill, but
their hose bursted. The Friendship
company was present both with the
hose carriage and the engine. The
latter it will be remembered rendered
excellent service at the former fire.
Too much credit, it is said, cannot be
given the workmen i'll the mill for the
part they played in eXtinguishing the
fire. Their efforts were characterized
by alacrity, GOODNESS and CO. operation.
1t is difficult to compute the exact
loss which, it is understood, is cover
ed by insurance. All will depend up
on whether or not the damage i'll any
degree extends to the machinery and
equipment. The end of the l6-inch mill,
both ventilators and portion of the
roof are burned. Apparently this is the
extent of the damage, which is hardly
enough to cause a suspension Of more
than day or so. 1t is considered safe
to predict that the fire will result i'll
very little loss of time to the employees.
1t is very fortunate for Danville that
the night was quiet one, there being
scarcely a breath of air stirring. For
tunately, too, the kind of paint used
upon the mill, while not actually fire
proof was of kind designed to resist
fire
Exactly how the fire originated is
not known. Some are of the opinion
that it was caused by the furnace stack,
which may have become oveIheated.