The Palatka news and advertiser., 1915-05-07
FLORIDA WOODENWARE
PLANT DESTROYED
Important Palatka Manu-
factory Consumed in Fierce
Conflagration.
Loss Will Reach $4,000 with but
$4,000 Insurance. Many Work.
men Temporarily Out of
Employment.


A fire which started on the grounds
of the Florida Woodenware Cos
plant at point between one of the
warehouses and the veneer shed about
II o'clock, spread with rush over
the intervening dry space to the We
neer shed, where there was much
varnish. There was a brisk wind,
everything was dry as tinder, the
varnish was especially inflammable;
there was at the outset lack of pres
sure from the water hydrant. That
tells the story of the burning of one
of the leading manufacturing indus
tries of this city on Tuesday after
noon last.
Mistakes were made. In the first
place whoever gave the alarm sent
the same to the Palatka Gas Light Il
Fuel Cos plant where the city alarm
lis located, BUT NEGLECTED to no
tify the FIRE STATION. Fire En-
gineer Phillips heard the alarm, he
was ready to go to the rescue, but he
didn't know where to go; he waited
for the telephone to inform him. The
information failed to come; then he
heard the blowing Of the whistle at
the Wilson Cypress Co.'S mill, and he
concluded the fire was in that dlrec-
ton, so he took a chance and headed
for the mill.
Arriving at the fire it was seen that
there would be a shortage of hose, so
Chief Phillips rushed back to the en-
gine house for more hose. Here he
met with slight accident to the en-
CINE. Mayor Kennerly sent his auto
truck on with the hose.
It was soon seen that the Wooden
ware plant was doomed. There are
some dozen or more hydrants in the
Wilson mill yards adjoining. In order
to protect this big concern and its
vast piles of lumber among which
sparks and burning tinder was con-
stantly falling, these had to be open
ed. The opening of the Wilson ny
drants of course failed to give sutfi-
cient pressure for the play of water
on the burning plant.
The wind was blowing brisk gale
toward the city. Fire fighters knew
] that if once the flames secured a hold
on the big Wilson mill and lumber
piles it meant the more than probable
destruction cf Palatka. Hundreds of
citizens, business and professional
men were in the Wilson grounds with
buckets ready for every droppig Gin
der and they were all kept busy.
The loss of the Woodenware plant
is almost complete. All its property
wrs destroyed except one dry kiln
; and the stave mill. The buildings
burned were the main mill, the finish
ing department, warehouses, one dry
kiln, several store houses, oil house,
blacksmith shop, boiler house and
chocks mill.
Chas. Kupperbusch, vice president
and general manager of the company
states that the loss in stock and build
ings will exceed $4,000. The compa-
nv had insurance to the amount OF
$4,000, all placed with Palatka agen-
t cies. Of this amount the G. Loper
Bailey Co. had placed $4,000; Tucker
;. Bros. $4,000. T. B. Merrill $4,000 and
Knight & Dorm $780,
There was in stock some 10000 6O-
lb lard buckets and some $4,000 tin-
. ished automobile chocks, in which the
Z company enjoyed large and growing
trade with auto manufacturers in De-
troit, Mich.
Mr.. Kupperbusch stated that the
| plant was not at this time running
full time, bit that this is always a
more or less dull season, though
within 60 days they had every reason
to believe that the factory would be
: working its capacity force of men on
full time. As it is some 40 men will
be temporarily out of employment.
The company will rebuild said Mr.
Kupperbusch, and within 60 days it is
likely we will be temporarily equip
ped to 90 on with the work. Of
course, said he, it will take time to
get back in the position we were In
last Tuesday morning. Unified
orders the company hopes to arrange
to have filled by rival manufacturers
in other cities.
The Florida WooAenware company
has been in business here some six or
/ seven years and has built up a splen-
did business. 1t makes lard tubs
1 buckets, ETC., and its trade is with
j packers and concerns dealing ir lard
] substitutes, end other food products
TIE company is composed of F. H
Wilson, president; Chas. KIpper-
busch Jr., vice president and mana
ger; w. P. Merriam, secretary, end
Chas. G. Grimm, treasurer.
That there was no lack of water
pressure at the pumping station is
attested by Mayor Kenrerly, City En-
gineer StaliingS and the gauge Mr.
Stallings was called up on The tele-
phone by Mayor Kennerly at the
l breaking out of the fire and asked
/ about the pressure, and his reply was
! that it was 95 pounds to the square
\ Inch. Mr.. Stellings assures Tic News
that this pressure was certainly on al
: the time, although in the 1eightor'
/. hood of the fire this world probably
| be reduced to so pounds to the square
| Iinch. sufficient however for tie need:
of the fire.
/ The company is grateful to the pee
pie of Palatka for their quick re
sponse and help, and the Wilson com
: pany feels this same gratit1de.