The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1921-07-12
Complete Destruction Results
From Flames Having An
III Unexplained Origin
FIREMEN DO GOOD WORK
SAVING OTHER BUILDING
Loss Estimated At Approx
mately $4,000 Covered
By Insurance

Fire destroyed the frame and brick
occupied by the super.Heat-
Ing Boiler & Furnace Co. at No. ao6
South Mckenzie street at an early
hour this morning. The flames were
discovered about $3.50 a. m. This,
but little was left OF the
save the foundation Of the
main building and portion Of the
brick wall of the rear portiona
The destroyed building was erect.
ed many years ago, it's original pur.
pose and use being, 1t is said, brew
cry. Later it was converted into
foundry afd used as such by the Black
Furnace Co. At still later date it
was taken over and occupied by the
Super Heating Boiler & Furnace Co.
which still occupied it, the business
being in the hands Of e. o. Arnold as
receiver appointed by the court.
The first discovery of the fire was
made at $3.50 a. m. by Mrs. l.. H.
Spake, who lives on East Gambler
street, Immediately north of the Su-.
per Heating Boiler & Furnace Co.
plant. Others in the immediate neigh.
borhood also made the discovery
about the same time but Mrs. Spake
was the first to turn in a telephone
alarm.
This morning Mrs. Spake told The
Banner she had heard a cracking
noise about the time she and men,
bers Of her family were retiring
about IL p. m. At the moment she
thought the noise had been made
within her own home and spoke to
other members of her family but could
not locate the cause. After time all
fell asleep. Between and 2:30 a.
m. Mrs. Spake was awakened by a
noise she describes as like hail on a
slate roof. Looking out of her win.
dow, she. saw smoke ana. flame mount.
ing up to the south. Locating it as
coming from the foundry building she
went to the telephone and gave the
alarm.
The statement Is made by Mrs.
Spake that it seemed like a long time
before the operator at. the exchange
answered her call. However, she says
frankly that because of her fears and
excitement the interval may have
seemed. longer to her than 1t really
was. Mrs. Spake was careful not to
charge the operator on duty with be
ing inattentive or negligent.
Persons of the neighborhood assert
also that the fire department also
was slow in responding to the call
This statement also may be more OF
less largely influenced by the state
Of mind excited by the flames destroy
ing the foundry building and threat
ening adjoining property.
Fire Chief Pickard stated to The
Banner today that the entire building
was in flames when the department
reached Mckenzie street and Ohio av
enue. The water pressure was low
and little could be done save to per
nit the flames to burn themselves
out and the meanwhile to prevent 9
spread to adjoining properties. I'm
mediately north of the destroyed
structure on Mckenzie street, is {
vacant frame dwelling, a part of thu
foundry property. Immediately cas-
on Ohio avenue is another franz
dwelling. Fortunately what littl,
breeze was blowing carried thu
flames away from either structure
+ The firemen are credited with having
done excellent work in preventing
spread of the flames. They WORKED
until z a. m. before leaving.
No adequate explanation is givel
accounting for the cause of the fire
The plant had been shut down ant
idle for several months. The caus
Is altogether a matter of conjecture
and cannot now be determined. 1t i
altogether probable that the cracking
sound first heard by Mrs. Spake at L
p. m. came from the foundry building
One rumor was in circulation to tn
effect that burglars had blown the OF
flee safe and being incensed becaus
of the trifling sum found in the SAT
had fired the building. The only sui
stance to this tale was that the SAT
is to be seen where it had falle
through the office floor into the cellar
The door is off but the safe gives n
other evidence of having suffered an
explosive violence. No one has bee
found who heard noise that coul
have been identified as caused by a
explosion. II is probable little cree
ence eau be given this theory.