Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1918-01-14
FUSEY { JONES CO.
FIRE [EBRIS COVE
Loyal Men Work All Day
Sunday Getting Plant
Ready
LOSS IS $4,000;
SPY NOT SUSPECTED

Several hundred men having labored
yesterday In cleaning up the debris Of
the FIRE OF Saturday night and putting
the machinery In shape the Pussy &
Jones Co. plant this morning resumed
work only slightly hampered by the
blaze. Work Of clearing out the place
was commenced by the workmen Of the
plant Immediately when Che Gre was un-
der control and this work is still in
progress.
The fire, which was discovered at
about $50 O'Clock Saturday night, de-
stroyed the western end Of the ship
fabrication shop. but the machinery on
the ground floor Of the building was
unchanged Today the drafting force
was established in another portion Of
the plant. y was In the drafting de-
partment that the greatest loss occur
red, the plans for the building Of the
cargo steamers for the Emergency
Fleet Corporation having been destroy
ed. The IRE. however, did not reach
the ships, but work on them will nee
essarily be delayed while the plans
are being redrawn, which will re-
Qulre about six weeks work. The loss
Is estimated at $4,000, covered by in
surance.
The officials Of the plant do not be-
lieye the fire was the work OF spies as
no one is allowed within the plant
without a pass, aud the grounds OF the
company are patrolled by large force
OF watchmen. The origin Of the fire,
It Is asserted by the company. is not
known, although Il Is thought that one
Of the small stoves used by the work
men may have been left burning by
mistake and In some manner ignited
the woodwork.
The entire plant is closed on Sstur-
day night. As soon as IL became known
the plant was burning, w0rkmen rush
ed % the place. Some OF them, includ-
ing John Crabble. OF No. OF Elm street,
foreman Of shipftlers, fought their
way 10 the upper stories Of the burn
ing building and saved many drawings
and patterns. Crabble was overcome
by smoke but soon recovered.
When the Reliance Company arrived
at the plant, and connected with tho
plug In front Of the burning section at
Front and Pine streets, the flames were
shooting up the stairway and out the
roof, casting a reflection over the sky
that gave people In the eastern sec
tion Of the city the impression that
the greater portion Of the PLANE was
burning. Some frozen fire plugs de-
layed the work Of the flremen.
The brilliant reflection attracted hun
dreds Of curiosity seekers to the scene.
The embankment Of the Pennsylvania
railroad proved a point Of vantage and
the spectators were free with their
comments Of the feeble efforts Of the
hrenghiers, the blaze defyinS the fght-
ers.
While the fire was one OF the most
stubborn the local flremen have con-
tended with IN years, It was also one
OF the most spectacular The upper
floor Of the building was Of daylight
construction and the crashing Of glass
and the casting OF the templates from
the second floor by the company en-
ployes IN their endeavor 90 save the
most valuable contents Of the building
gave the onlookers the same thrills and
even the thoughts OF parts Of the build
ing buckling and cOllapsng.
For two hours the blaze taxed the
fire lighting ability OF the entire VIII
mington Fire Department, the COM
panies having been called on general
alarm from box No. i26 at 9.26 o'clock.
At a spot less than 30 feet distant
from the building, five government
boats were in course of construction.
Had the wind been blowing in that di-
rection IL Is doubtful II anything
would have saved the boats from de-
truction As il was, however, the wind
carried the flames directly thrOurh the
one building and but for its solid con-
crete roofing, partitions and general
freproOf construction 10 would have
been totally destroyed.
The officials OF the company were
ameng the first 70 arrive at the plant
c. Stewart Lee, general manager; G
B. Lynch, Z. L. C0ppage and Andrew
Speigelhalter. the latter plant manager
as well as several others Of authority
were In all parts Of the plant 10 direct
the employees who had responded fol-
lowing the alarm. The company hos
pital room was opened I'm case Of emer-
gency and soon found ready use when
Mr. Crabble was carried out OF the
burning building unconscious Detec-
tive Fairchilds applied artificial respir.
alton methods and with the assistance
Of fellow officers restored the stricken
man 10 consciousness before the ambu'
lance arrived.
Several bad falls were suffered BY
the spectators and fremen within the
grounds. The spray from the stream:
playing on the fire froze on the sheets
Of steel which virtually covered tht
ground between the burning building
and the ways. As the workers wer,
hurrylng from one part Of the plant
TO the other more than a dozen mer
suffered bruises and cuts by falls.
Fire broke out among the ruins agaiI
at o'clock yesterday morning. hui
were soon extinguished by the Reliance
Company. which was summoned by
telephone.
The fire was the third serious one
which has visited the plant Of the
Pussy & Jones Company. The plan
was seriously damaged on July %
1881. and another occurred In the angle
iron shop February 10, 1910.