Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-09-22
ACID FACTORY FIRE
Exploslon h Building Was Like
 Small Sized EsrIhqusls.

The lacquer factory of the Frank lin H. Kalbfeisch Go, known as the "acid factory" In South Brooklyn, was totally destroyed by fire last evening about II o'clock. The loss Is estimated at s2o,OoO, fully GOV cred by insurance.
 Joseph A. Garde, manager of the concern, cannot account for the origin of the fire and while speaking on the subject to-day was not back ward in stating that in his opinion the blaze was of an incendiary ma ture. Chief Snagg is not able to figure out how the blaze started. but as yet has found nothing to lead him to believe that the factory was set on fire. The chief was of the opin- ion that the manager, being well ac- Quainted with the premises and the interior of the factory, would know better than he whether there was any causes from which the fire would start within.
 The blaze was the most spectacu- lar seen In this city in a long time and was accompanied by couple of explosions which shook the houses In the vicinity. One of the explosions was of such a nature that it almost blew the roof off and raised havoc with the walls. Residents near the factory who claim to know state that the fire was started before the first explosion came. The members of the fire department also are of the impression that there was fire be- fore the first explosion, although the second explosion went off before the chief or the apparatus reached the factory.
 The fire was discovered by Pat rick Donnelly, the night watchman. Donnelly first perceived the flames in the front part of the building and was instrumental in having the alarm rung in from bix 327 on Eagle street.,
 In few minutes after the alarm was turned in the building was a mass of flames and illumined the skies to such an extent that 1t could be seen in all parts of the city. The acids and the alcohol made such a blaze that from afar it appeared as though the whole of South Brook lyn was burning. When the fire de- partment arrived the walls were practically down and there was nothr ing for the firemen to do but pre- vent its spreading. The building. which was 100 x40, was some dis tance away from the main factory.
 The residents of Brooklyn proper were awakened by the big explosion and some of the houses were shaken from top to bottom. Even on the upper part of Third street the shock was felt and many were of the opin- ion that an earthquake had struck the town. Considering the sight the blaze made the crowd that attended the fire was not as large as might be expected.
 The hook and ladder apparatus from the Scoyill street house while on the way to the fire got stuck on South Main street where the road is being repaired. 1t also held up the chemical engine. But the men got right at the wheels and within less than a quarter of an hour had the wheels on the pavement again. MT Garde, manager of the build ing, was asked to-day if there was any way for the fire to start from gases on the inside. He said there was not. He declared that every thing was in shape when the factory was closed at 5 o'clock in the after noon and that the temperature was such that there is no grounds to come to the conclusion that the fire started inside the building Even If gases were escaping there was nothing to ignite them. The manager further more stated that the fire having started in the front part of the build ing convinced him all the more that It was set. He stated that the DOT tion of the factory burned would be rebuilt immediately and that within a short time the company would be able to supply the wants of all cus- toners.
 Patrick Donnelly, the watchman, was right on to his job during the fire and if he had not been prompt In making his rounds the blaze would undoubtedly have got bigger start aud might have done even more damage. The fire department played on the ruins until almost 2 o'clock this morning.