The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1918-02-02
WAREHOUSE AND
MILL OF COTTON
OIL CO. DESTROYED
Negro Workman Fatally
Injured in Leap for Safe
ty-Fire Loss Heavy,
State Officials

A fire, said to be Of incendiary origin,
completely destroyed the large ware
house and peanut oil mill of the Union
Cotton Oil company at Georgia road and
Southern railway, better known as fl1tn
avenue and Forty seventh street. nortn'
this morning about 1890 O'CLOCK Inc
blaze gained rapid Roadway ana soon
consumed the entire structure.
Seven of the city fire stations responded
to the alarm and Immediately after ar
irving the firemen directed their ef-
forts to saving the remaining pulioihss
of the company. The fire nshting ap-
paratus of the company was manned py
employees and soon the big blaze was
confined to the one building.
Ora Cox, a negro workman in the pea
nut mill, was fatally injured by jump
ing from the third floor of the mill. Inc
stairway Of the building was burned,
thus cutting off his only route OF escape.
He called for assistance and after max
ing several unsuccessful attempts 10 suoe
down the drainage pipe on the sac Oh
the building, leaped for safety after the
blaze reached the third floor. His back
was broken He was taken to the North-
side inf1rmary in Bradford's ambulance.
The negro was not removed from the
scene for over 40 minutes, 1t being I'M
possible to secure an ambulance 10 re-
move him. Other workmen in the build
ing escaped without injury About ~
men were employed in the building when
the fire occurred.
HEAVY FIRE LOSS
Officials of the company would MAKE
no statement of the probable loss.
Tuev stated, however, it would run
high in the thousands.
Shortly after o'clock, AFTER the
flames had quilted the framework and
contents of the brick structure, tne
tall brick walls fell One Of the walls
crushed the office of the company. NO
one was injured in the falling OF
the walls.
There were several rumors of the
origin of the fire. According to work
men in the plant, the blaze started
when one of the negro workmen
poured oil on machine which had
become overheated. The machine was
loading velvet beans. The beans and
peanuts were quickly consumed by tie
hlsze.
ORIGIN OF FIRE
7. M. Smith, night superintendent,
was not at the plant when the fire
started. He could make no statement
how the blaze originated. Several peo-
pie offered the explanation that the
fire was started by an unknown man
who had a suitcase and disappeared,
running down the road when the blaze
broke out. Officials of the company,
however, regard the information as
worthless
Chief Middleton led the fight on the
flames. AS many as 20 streams of wa
ter, but with little pressure, were be-
ing trained on the building in less
than 20 minutes after the alarm was
given.
About 80 o'clock the blaze was
gradually being extinguished AID
shortl yafter o'clock the f1remen re-
turned to their stations. Work in the
various mills of the plant was never
discontinued during the fire with the
exception of the peanut mill. The plant
covers about two square blocks. The
building destroyed is about one block
long and approximately 100 feet wide.
Loss Is fairly covered by insurance.
The officers of the company are: j..
G. Whitfield, president; J. w. DON
nelly, vice president, and G. A., Blinn,
Jr.. secretary and treasurer. Work at
the plant will continue today.