Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1922-10-27
PETROLATUN FIRE
COSTS sl25,0OO
PLOUGH CHEMICAL cOMPANY'S
STORAGE PLANT BURNS.
WILL NOT HINDER OPERATION
Property at South Fifth Street and
Railroad said to Have Been Ig-
nited by Spark From Passing
Train-Traffic Delayed.

Memphis.-Firemen battled for more
than three hours before they had put
under control a blazing warehouse Of
the Plough Chemical company, South
Fifth street and the railroad tracks.
The loss was estimated by Abe Plough,
president of the company. at s125,OoO.
He was unable to give the amount OF
Insurance
Barrels of petrolatum piled 90 feet
high, we're burning fiercely when the
fire fighting equipment reached the
scene. Flames were shooting upward
more than 100 feet. From a distance
the scene resembled gasser on fire.
Petrolatum is a substance derived
from petroleum by distilling off the
lighter portions. 1t IS used as a sub
stance Tor fatty materials In ointment.
1t is used largely in the chemical
trade. ssa
Adjoining properties were menaced
and their salvation doubtless was due
to the stiffness Of the afternoon. There
was little breeze and the blaze spurted
Eight p.eces of fire equipment re-
sponded. The warehouse is difficult
to reach only one narrow street lead
ing up to it. 1t $ fronted ON the south
by the railroad tracks.
Mr.. Plough said the fire originated
from sparks CARED from a passing
locomotive.
The warehouse, which adjo-ns a
three-story brick printing plant also
operated by the Plough Chemic al COM
galvanized sides of the structure han
dicapped the efforts of the firemen.
They used axes and crowbars to tear
away the siding sufficient to afford
.apertures. for The hose. IA
The barrels of petrolatum, about
three or four carloads. burned stub
bornly. Four lines of hose were played
upon the petrolatum, but the flames
would squirt forth again the moment
the stream and smoke cleared.
With long graphing poles the fire.
men attempted to unloosen the barrels
and succeeded in pulling out probably
80, rolling them into zone of safety.
The entire contents of the ware
houses we're laid in waste, or left as
water-soaked debris. There were
boxes. barrels and metal cans con-
tanning the crude products used by
the company in the manufacture of
its goods
Railroad traffic was delayed for al
N ost two hours. Hose was strewn
over the trackage for half block.
The N, G. G st. L. passenger train,
due at Union Station at $3.50 O'Clock,
had just passed, inbound from Nash
vile when the fire was discovered.
A passenger train from Louisville
due here at 3:45 o'clock was forced
to. come to a halt east of the fire.
Probably a dozen passengers left the
train and walked to the nearest troll
ley car line. 1t was about $3.50 O'CLOCK
when the train was switched to an
ether track and succeeded in reach
ing the depot,
ii should judge the loss will be
around s125,00O," said Mr.. Plough,
who was called to the scene by tele-
! phone. II don't recall how much in,
surance we carried on the warehouse.
1t contained only crude products,
mostly petrolatum and wax.
The destruction of the warehouse
will not close down any of our
factory operations. We have more
crude products en- route and large
quantity in storage at our New York
warehouse. We will rebuild the ware
house."