The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-11-06
SALT PLANT At
LAKE IS WIPED
OUT BY FLAMES
Fire of Mysterious Origin De-
stroys Works and Loss Is
Given at $4,000.
W0RkMEN WAGE BRAVE
BUT USELESS FIGHT
SUPERINTENDENT JACK AN
NoUNCES PLANS FOR BIGGER
AND BETTER PLANT.

In one of the most costly fires in tn,
history of Salt Lake. the plant of tn,
Inland Crystal Salt company. located
at Saltair. was completely destroyed
last night. The value of the buildings
with machinery, equipment, suppliei
and stock, is estimated by Superintend
ent Will Jack TO have exceeded $3.50. 600
and against which there is only $50. 90
insurance
The fire, which broke out about 63
O'Clock, was first discovered by Nigh
Waterman Scott Ure in the ceiling o
the engine room. and within few
minutes. with startling rapidity. it hat
spread through the building and ware
house. That greater damage in tn
loss of the adjoining cottages AM
boarding rooms. housing the workmei
and their families. did not occur wa,
alone due to the absence of any wind
The employees of the salt company
numbering about ninety men, had bare
ly finished their supper when the fir
alarm sounded on the whistle by th'
Waterman took them pell-meil from
their homes Under the leadership o
Foreman j. X. Miller, the lines of hos
were laid, but before the pumps coulC
be started the engine room was a seeth
ing mass of flames and the machiner,
rendered useless. The men resorted L
the bucket brigade. but their work
valiant and heroic in the untirins
strength they threw into it. was abso
lutely futile against the raging fire tina
by then had completely enveloped thi
building.
Special Train Dispatched.
Immediately after the fire started
word was received from Saltair by tel
ephone. and a special train carrie
Secretary O. A Clayton and Superin
tendent Jack of the company and ;
party, including a Herald reporter. Z
the scene.
The origin of the fire is unknown. tn
only plausible theory being that
started from sparks from the chimneys
There WAS no fire or light in the. EN-
CINE room at the time. and it is i'm
probabl that the fire could have orig
mated from within the building.
While returning TO Salt Lake las
night Superintendent Jack. in a state
nent given for The Herald. said that i
the brief investigation he had been abb
to make the fire was something of
mystery TO him.
AS YOU heard the night watchmal
say" Superintendent Jack said, ''th
fire was discovered in the ceiling of tn
engine house. There was absolutel!
nothing in that part of the building t
cause fire. and on the other hand If ]
was caused by sparks dropping from
the chimneys. the fire must have trav
eIed along the roof for over a distance
of forty feet before it was noticed. anC
tbfc 7 do NOT consider likPlE'
Foreman Is Puzzled.
Foreman Miller was equally at a los
to account for the origin of the fire.
81 knew nothing about it," he said
until l heard the whistle. When
rushed out of the house / could see TIL
flames. 1t took but a minute D
two for the men to get the hos
stretched out, but before we could star
the pumps the ceiling of the engin
house fell in. and then we were power
less
Out OF the fire the only things save'
were five freight cars. which the mel
were able to push away from the ware
house before the flames reached them
One car. however. which was beins
loaded, was caught and destroyed
The only accident TO occur to the fire
fighters was that Of William Genoski
who fell from the roof of the coal shed
In the fall to the ground he struck OF
his left wrist throwing il out OF joint
A physician was summoned from Gar
field and the injury promptly attended
Opens Valves in Boilers.
The heroism and alert bravery o
Waterman IRE, who is 80 years of age
proba bly, prevented a number Of Sc
rious accidents. IL not fatalities Aftel
sounding the alarm. the thought of tbs
boilers flashed upon IRE Although bl
this time the fire was we'll under way
at the risk of serious burns he dasheS
through the flames and opened th'
valves on the three boilers, releasing
the steam and thus preventing the pos
sibility of an explosion
This action together with the wilkins
work of the employees. ELECTED much ap-
preciative comment from Superintend
ent Jack
II was stated last night by the super
intendent that immediate plans would
be made for the reconstruction Of the
plant. and that, unless there should b.
undue delay in securing the machinery
the new works should be in operation