Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-19
He'll Called from Lynn, Beverly,
MarbIehedd and Peabody.
Flames Fed by Oil and Leather
Wasie--Lo 100000.
Explosion Wrecks Tighe Factory
Fireman Overcome by Smoke.

Salem, Mass, May 18.-A fire which
reached startling proportions in a re
markably short time swept over the
leather district in the vicinity of Good
hue and Bridge streets this evening
and destroyed four large buildings and
badly damaged two others, causing
damage Of over 100000
The l.. NJ Tighe leather factory and
oil storehouse, the Marrs Leather En-
bossing Co, and the Cass & Daley
leather storehouse were completely de-
stroyed while the factories of the
American Hide & Leather Co, and the
new massive plant of Cass q Daley
We're damaged by smoke and water
Half dozen smaller concerns, manu-
featuring accessories of the leather
trade, We're also burned.
The fire is thought To have started
from spontaneous combustion in the
bnffing room of the Tighe factory
shortly after the employees left at 6
o'clock. When after a general alarm
was sounded, it was feared that the
Salem fire department might not be
able 10 successfully cope with the con-
tlasration help vas summoned from
Lynn. Marblehead. Beverly and Pea
ttRha. ANfNaiilASAe tit'tl kAhaE AStSdtiG " III
crews of men were hurried to the city
from each OF these places. the Marble
head engine. pulled by four horses
making the run in IS minutes
As the fire was fed by the great
masses q oil and leather waste.sclouds
of smoke discernible for miles rose in
2 the air. Occasionally the smoke would
sweep down upon the firemen and
a. -
ously hampered the work of following
the progress OF the flames from build
ing TO building OF the closely packed
factory area.
BEFORE the flames had fully swept
the Tighe factory am explosion tore out
sthe second story and the walls COLLAPSE
SID completely wrecking the building
q Wood ma timber We're hurled out over
the head of the crowds In the street.
narrowly missing number of people.
From the Tighe three and a half story
building the fire spread to the Marrs
factory. a Two and a half story sfruc-
ture. and thence to the Gass & Daley
storelouse. In the latter Daniel Gala =
han. a volunteer fireman, was overcome
by the smoke but resuscitated later.
On either side of the burned buildings
were Two OF tie largest leather factories
in Salem. the Cass q Daley four-story
building, some POO by 200 feet, opened
last fall, and the American Hide &
Leather plant another four-story facto-
ry.
The Cass factory was saved from de-
struction by an improved water curtain
All of the buildings destroyed were of
wood and although the help from the
surrounding places arrived quickly, only
the Peabody department was called upon
to set it's engine The visiting firemen
We're kept busy. but the fire was gotten
practically under control by the local
department in some two and half hours.
The losses, which are considered to be
well protected by insurance, were divided
as follows
l.. NJ. Tighe factory and storehouse.
$4,000; Mars Leather Enclosing Co.
$4,000: Cass & Daley Co. storehouse, $75-
O00 Cass & Daley factory, 100000; Bas-
sett Machine Co, $4,000; Brogan &,
Deary, Innings $4,000; A. H. Parson laun-
dry, $1,000; Young g. Sampson, counters.
Michael Naughton, innersoles, and j.
Mccarthy, stiffenings losses total but
unknown.