The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1914-12-07
Fire of Unknown Origin
Breaks Out About $40
O'Clock and Burns
Very Rapidly
TWO HUNDRED MEN
WILL BE IDLE AS
RESULT OF BLAZE
nilsson Says Plant Will Be Imme-
diately Rebuilt on Larger Scale.
Kilns of Company Are Not
Damaged-Blaze Very
Spectacular

Fire of unknown origin totally de-
troyed the plant of the Southern Sewer
Pipe company at Twenty eighth avenue
and Twenty-secoBd street, North Bir-
minghsm. about $40 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, causing loss estimated at
over 100000. which Is partly covered
by Insurance. Two hundred employees
are thrown out o fwork by the fire.
James A. nilsson. manager of the
company issued the following statement
on the fire late last night,
"The main building of our MINT 5oO
by 30 feet and three stories high was
entireiy destrfyed by a fire of as yet
unknown origin. The fire was dis
covered by Waterman Elmer Tricr and
as we are equipped with the Western
Union fire alarm system, L believe the
alarm was sent in TINT way.
Building Will Be Replaced
AS soon as the debris can be cleared
away the destroyed building will be re-
placed, in fact the whole plant COM
pieteIy rebuilt on large scale and
with an Increased output.
"rhe only thing destroyed by the
fire il the main building containinr
100000 feet of floor space and the
machine shops. The 20 kiIns of the
company were not damaged by the
fire. Future buildings erected by this
company will be of fire-proof char
acter.
The fire will not delay the filling of
our orders or contracts. For the past
two months as is we'll known, business
mas been very quiet, yet we have main
tanned our force of 200 men at full
time and consequently have a large
amount of stock on hand Our load
ing facilities are uninjured and the
shipping gang will return to work in
the morning as IL nothing had happened
Birmingham has little idea of the
immensely of our plant. 1t was built in
1903 by outside capital and the plant In
creased at various times We snanafac-
ture sewer pipe, wall coping, thimbles
flue lining, fire brick and drain tile
and have a large Interstate business
throughout the south. We are also
large export shippers.
las to the fire loss, | cannot es-
innate it tonight but I will state tina,
whatever it is, we are fairly well pro-
tected by insurance"
When Mr.. Millsom was. informed thai
the Age-Herald had been informed thai
the loss would be abAct 100000 hi
stated:
ITO the best of my judgement it viii
be upwards of that amount. Howevei
am not prepared tonight to make ar
estimate of the total Manage"
Sidney Middleton, chief of the fire de-
partment, would not estimate the dam
age and stated:
About $50 o. clock the North Birmingham
fire station heard the whistles of the pipe
company and saw the blaze. When they
arrived the immense plant was all
ablaze and despite the numerous
streams of water 1t was found that
nothing could be done but save a few
outbuildings Five fire companies an
swered the alarm.
Il understand that the fire was dis
covered by the day Waterman, Elmer
Trigg, who attempted to put it out"
The Ore was very spectacular The
Southern Sewer Pipe company is located
on high ground at North Birmingham
and the flames made glow in the
murky sky that was seen all over the
city. Hundreds of autoists and pedes
TRANS were attracted to the scene.
Started Near Middle of Building
The Southern Sewer Pipe company
main building was 500 feet long and
three stOrles nlSn. IL was .pulll partly
of wood and of brick. The fire is said
to have started about the middle of the
building and to have spread rapidly to
all parts of the Giant. The rapidity oil
the destroying blaze is best explained
by the fact that the roof and the en-
tire building collapsed in 20 minutes
after the firemen arrived.
Waterman Trigg of the plant would
make no statement to a reporter. He
stated that Mr.. Millsom, the manager
would do all the talking to be done.