The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1908-10-28

KoN.BUsTIBLE c0TT0H-AoA.BUSTIBLE
WAREH0USE-THE SPRINKLER SYS-
tenn GUARD ALL FROM FIRE.
The Most Remarkable Instance Of Cotton
Fires is on Record at Abbeville.

On Wednesday morning OF last week
about 8 O'Clock, Mr.. ]. M.Kirby In bis ROUNDS,
as Waterman OF the oil mill, which Is on the
opposite side OF the street, cast bis other eye
at the Abbeville warehouse, when he Saw wa
ter running out OF the door on the lower noor'
| Although he saw no evidence OF fire, smelt no
cotton, saw NO light. yet upon going to Inc
building he heard water flowing inside.
In circumstances like these he felt warrant
ed In breaking open q door. Going to the plat
form in the rear which Is on the level With
the second story. he broke open tho back
door. He heard the flow Of water. and with
the aid OF his lantern, he discovered that
there had been a fire in the room.
The facts, as we'll as we could learn, were
about In this way.
On examining the premises early in the
morning, 1t was discovered that the fire had
started at the end Of a bale, which IRE bad
No ade slow progress. because. II is supposed.
for Jack of air. When the fire burnt through
the floor, which Is laid double, II is supposed
the fresh air from below increased the fire TO
q fame which spread to the ceiling. backing
1t, and opening two outlets Of tho sprinkler
system, which sent q flood Of water on the
fire, and extenguished 1t. without the aid or
assistance Of any one. Except for the running
water from the building the fire would no
have been known before the business hours.
but except for the water the warehouse and
It's contents would have been in ruins.
A sprinkler system that will. unaided, put
out q fire In q wareroom filled with cotton
is, for many reasons, worth Its weight In
gold.
l. 1t Is worth something to know that q
warehouse is protected from fire.
2. It worth much in the cost Of insurane.
Before Mr.. Cox put in the sprinkler system
the cost OF insuIing q $50 bale OF cotton was ~
cents a year. Since the sprinkler system
was put in, the cost OF insuring q $50 bale OF
cotton for q year is only 7 cents, and the In
surance companies prefer the cheaper rate
with the sprinkler system, thar the higher
rate without the sprinkler system.
In this Ere which was put out without the
aid or knowledge of human hands, the loss
ON eight bales was estimated and paid at
sl5O.
Mr.. Cox estimates the value Of the cotton In
The warehouse at $4,000. He had insurance
to fully cover that amount.
AS an object lesson we would cite: The re-
cent fire In the warehouse at Rock Hill where
700 bales were stored the loss was estimated at
s35, 900 or S4O,VOO. Without our sprinklers
there would have been q big loss to building
and contents.
MIR. Cox, the President OF the warehouse
company, on seeing the damage to the cotton,
Immediately bought other bales to replace
the Injured cotton, and replaced the Injured
ba les with perfect bales. And 80 the owners
are fully protected.
While It is true that the burnt bales were
ss wet as water could make them, yet there
were spark in the inside. These bales were
thrown out on the ground, where they we're
yesterday.
Mr.. w. T. Magill, the manager OF the ware
house, on his arrival at his usual hour Tor
coming thought to test the water and turned
it on with the two plugs still open. be
thinks q man would drown ifhe were shut up
In a house with this sprinkler system turned
ON. He now has no sort Of uneasiness about
fire.
The bale from which the fire originated was
brought from the oil mill ginnery on the
evening before the fire. Although the nre
burnt a hole in the floor above the cotton In
the lower floor no spark reached the oaleS
over which the fire was burning. In the
room where the fire originated were 3U 10
$40 bales. In the room below 500 bales were
stored.