Smyrna times., 1904-07-06
SMYRNA'S ICE PLANT AND
FOUR WAREHOUSES; BURNED
DISASTROUS FIRE AT SMYRNA LANDING
REMOVES INDUSTRY AND LANDMARKS
Five Buildings Were Consumed Ia Less Than
an Hour Despite the Work of the Bucket
Brigade and Smyrna Fire Company.

oil nOuI Despite the Work OF the Bucket
Brigade and Smyrna Fire Company
Another disastrous fire has visited
Smyrna and wiped out another indus.
try, the second one in less than four
months. This time it was the large
ice plant of the Smyrna Transportation
and Manufacturing Company, located
at Smyrna Landing, which was dis
covered to be on fire at ten minutes TO
SIX o'clock Sunday morning. and
spread with such rapidity that within
a space of fifty minutes five buildings
were consumed entailing a loss of
S25, 900 on which there was an insur-
ance of only $4,000. At that time
there was about $50 tons of ice on
hand, out of which about 10 tons were
saved, enough to supply the Fourth of
July trade. Mr.. Jardine displayed
his usual enterprise by making ar
rangements at once to supply his Gus
toners and none were found wanting
Besides the large ice plant of 10 tons
capacity, two-story building, which
occupied space of 200 feet river front.
there were four old gralneries posi-
bly, hundred years old, which were
in use before the days of the Della
ware Railroad when Smyrna was far
famed as grain shipping center.
These old shingled buildings, size
4Ox3O feet, fell an easy victim to the
on coming flames and with their de-
structlon the old, familiar landmarks
are no more. One of these buildings
was occupied by J. E. Tygert Com.
pany for fertilizers and another bv
Frank +. Postles for fertilizers. The
old Stockly grainery had recently
been moved up alongside of the one
Just below the ice plant, and it was Man
ager Jardine's intention of building
grain elevator for the handling and
cleaning of wheat.
Origin of the Fire Is Not Known.
The origin of the fire is not known.
Engineer King had just gone off duty
and Engineer Burke had taken charge
OF the plant and he had no sooner
settled himself for his days work.
when he looked up and found the cell
ing of the engine room in flames. The
alarm was quickly given and was as
quickly responded to by the faithful
residents of the Landing who formed
themselves into bucket brigade and
worked zealously to keep the flames
from spreading. 1t was soon found
impossible to save the ice plant and
the buildings contiguous to 1t, and
their attention was directed to saving
the warehouse at the Steamer Brady |
wharf. The wind seemed rather
variable, first shifting west and then
east and when it was found that the
ice plant and four warehouses were
beyond control, the residents feared
that it would spread to the village.
The Citizens Hose Company of |
Smyrna responded to the call and did |
all they could to assist the bucket |
brigade, but there being no water
main at that point the only thing that
could be done was to keep the fire
from spreading to the Brady ware.
house and the large canning factory of
the Torsch Packing Company. Most !
of the freight was on the Steamer |
Brady, which pulled out from the
wharf at a safe distance.
Intention Of the Company to Rebuild Plant.
Some little effort was directed in !
keeping the Steambarge frankie from /
the flames and once or twice she
caught fire, but the vigilance of her
crew saved any damage. The coal
bins which were in close proximity to |
the burning warehouse also caught |
hre and the situation for a time was |
very precarious, but the fire apparatus |
OF the Steamer Brady was brought |
into play and did good service Many
people from Smyrna and the country |
round about gathered at the wharves
and watched the cOnfagration and |.
amid the smoke and ruins of its awful /
work, was a devastated waste west of
the Brady wharves along the entire
river front of the property of the
Transportation Company. President
ii. M. Taylor of the Company and
Manager A. E. Jardine have gone ever
the entire ground since the fire and it
Is their intention, as soon as insuran ce
and other matters are adjusted, to re-
build the ice plant. In the meantime
the trade will be supplied with ice as
regularly as heretofore. The Comp
any will begin at once the erection of a
modern warabousa