The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-16
Cabinet Woodwork and Screen
Shop Gutted by Flames
Yesterday, With Loss
of $4,000.
SMITH HAS NARROW ESCAPE
Forced to Jump Out OF Second Floor
Window After Vain Attempt to
Save Fine Piece of Carved
Work.

Fire that broke out Just after the
noon hour yesterday practically ruin
ed the extensive plant bf the Wilbur
corporation, manufacturers Of win
dow and door screens. and makers of
special woodwork and cabinet work.
on Winthrop avenue, causing a loss
that will probably reach about $25,-
1000. The plant of the Wilbur COM
pany is situated in from the street
and covers large part of the inside
portion OF the block bounded by
Chapel, Hotchkiss, Edgewood and
Winthrop. The plant was of frame
construction and so offered excellent
food for the flames.
The fire as nearly as could be learn
ed broke out either in the engine room
or the kiln dry. 1t seems that in the
latter room there was blower and 1t
Is thought that the most probable
cause of the fire was friction of some
betting famed by this blower. When
asked about this yesterday afternoon,
however, Wilbur Smith, the superin-
tendent, stated, that he could not de-
termine himself the exact cause.
The men had just resumed work for
the afternoon when the engineer was
confronted by one of the workmen,
telling him to shut off the power at
once as the shop was afire. Mr..
Smith, the superintendent, who lives
in the house right in front of the
shop on Winthrop avenue, was at
dinner at the time and vas summoned
out at once. When he came the fre
was scarcely perceptible and he start
ed at once to the second floor of the
shop where there was finely carved
table top, the value of which he stat
ed was S75, which had just been COM
pleted and which he was very anxious
to save. The flames spread with mar
velous rapidity, however. and when he
reached the room he found himself
surrounded with the growing fire. In
stead of saving te table top It was
all he could do to save his life. which
he did by jumping out OF second
story window. Fire Commissioner
Cunningham lives in the next house
on the Hotchkiss street side and notic-
ing the flames he had Just come out of
the house when he saw Smith jump.
He hurried to him and asked II there
was any one else In the room and re-
ceived negative answer. Mr.. Cum
ningham says that while he was cross
ing the yard the flames which were
hardly noticeable when he came out
of the house enveloped the entire end
of the shop.
An alarm was at once sent in from
box 62S at the corner of Chapel and
Hotchkiss streets and upon the arriv-
al of Fire Marshal Gladwin a second
alarm was at once ordered, calling
out six companies. The wooden
buildings stretched out in row ad-
Joining each other, were enveloped in
smoke and some of the valuable tim
Der stored in the kiln dry began to
burn, adding to the connagration and
producing a smoke suJh as lumber
yard fire would result in.
Despite the quick work of the fire.
men the flames ate their way right
through the buildings and with the
exception of the southernmost one
they were practically destroyed The
firemen poured immense streams OF
water upon the flames and thoroughly
drenched the buildings and soon had
the fire under control, though they're
! mained on the scene for hours on ac-
count of the fire remaining In the lum-
ber and the kiln dry The home OIL
Mr.. Smith and Of Commissioner Cum