The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-01-03
Loss is Estimated at s75,ooo With s5z,- 500 Characterization Wood Thinks it Will Be
 Rebuilt.

cern. one of the largest and best equipped plants of the kind in the South was situated just south of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad tracks in Irmada1e and only few hundred yards from the recently extended city boundary limits.
 From the outburst of the first flames in the top of the huge wooden structure 1t was evident that the doom of the plant was sealed
 The fire pumps which were in the engine rooms of the lumber plant to furnish water for protection in case of fire were started as soon as steam could be gotten up and an alarm was telephoned to the Montgomery Fire Department. The flames leaped high in the air and in a few moments a roaring furnace was believing from the very center of the building.
 Owing to the great distance from the city proper fully a mile and a half the fire department although they went in a break neck run, arrived at the scene of the conflagration too late to do anything except keep the fire to a small extent subdued and prevent the flames from spreading to the Burton Veneer works, thirty feet away. and other buildings of the lum- Der plant.
 Engines Over Rough Ground.
 The route to the fire was bad for the fire apparatus as the roads were in poor condition. A small wooden bridge spanning q ditch near the lumber plant crashed under the weight of the hose wagon from the Five Points station as It passed over and the engine following in It's wake was unable to cross. Chief Browder at once ordered the crew of the engine company to drive around through field in order to get near the fire. Over plougned cotton rows, the heavy fire engine rose and sank while the noble beasts tugged and snorted in the efforts to do what was expected of them.
 The heat was so intense when the truck neared the roaring flames that the horses had to be unhitched and the truck pulled by hand near to the wa ter plug.
 The underwriters fire pump of 500 gallons capacity kept at the plant was connected with hose from ten foot diameter we'll near the engine house to a large cemented water tank. twen- ty feet square and of 6O,000 gallon ca- pacity. From this tank the engine drew water through a suction tube about as fast as the pump forced wa ter into it. A line of hose was at first attacheS to a plug on the south of the burning building but this was abandoned as soon as the suction scheme from the big water tank was completed.
 Scarcity of water made ft impossi- ble for the firemen to utilize but one stream. This stream of water was played alternately on the flames and on the buildings of the Burton Veneer Works. which plant almost joined the Mont gomery Manufacturing Companys plant A brisk wind from the south west was the only thing that saved the veneer plant from destruction for if 1t mad ever caught in spite of the persistent efforts of the firemen. It would have been burned like finder.
 Fire Chief John F. Browder stood in heat and glare of the crackling' flames and directed the work of his men, The dry kilns of the company situated 100 feet south of the main mill building caught once from flying sparks but the blaze was insignifi- cant and 1t was quickly extinguished. Four Buildings Destroyed. Four buildings In all were destroyed. the mill building. a three-story frame structure, 206 feet long and 90 feet wide, three substantial lumber sheds to the north of the mill. one 200 feet by 36 feet in dimension. one 150 feet by 36 feet in dimensions and another 175 feet long and 22 feet wide.
 The &umber sheds were stocked al- most to their capacity with dressed Jumper and sash. doors, blinds, ceiling and flooring. This inhammable matter made the fire one of unusual fury.
 The mill was complete with costly. modern machinery and this was twist ed and broken in indescribable masses of scrap iron by the intense heat which fell upon it on all sides.
 Quick action by persons early on the scene in breaking open the doors of the office saved the books, papers and accounts of the company and in this the company was fortunate. Other valuable assets were stored in a large fireproof safe that stood in the office and these are undoubtedly secure from harm.
 R. l.. Wood, President of the com pany, was notified of the fire soon after it's outbreak. He went immediately to the scene. He stood by and gave whatever assistance he could to the firemen and busied himself with mak- ing precaution to prevent further spread of the flames.
 Officer of Company Talks. s MT. Wood said that he could not estimate the loss AS he had been act ing as president only since the death of P. c. Massie some weeks ago and was not intimate enough with the plant to speak authori .atively on the subject He said that the company was we'll stocked and that the loss was not fully covered by insurance.
 J. c. Crowson, General Manager of the company. said that he estimated the loss on the lumber sheds. mill building. including machinery and fix lures at $65,000. Dressed lumber, valued at between $16.000 and $17,000. he said. was stored in the sheds which were destroyed.
 The insurance on the entire plant Is S52,5OO." he said. but some of the insurance is on portions of the plant that are not burned and our loss over insurance will be severe"
 This insurance is divided among the following insurance companies and is under insurance rules, insured for not more than three-fourths of the value of the plant:
 Atlanta Birmingham .. ..S 100000 Aetna. .. g. .. .. ..... 100000 North British and Mercantile. 3,0OO.0O Atlas. .. .......... 50O.OO German American. .... .. 100000 National of Hartford .. .. e. 100000 Rochester German. .. 100000 Agricultural. Q. e. e. ...... 100000 AYa IIaw .uk,N