Stone County enterprise. [volume] (Wiggins, Stone County, Mississippi) 1916-current, 1923-01-25
NUMBER 26
SATURDAYS FIRE
LOSS WAS GREAT
Loss On Production Will Also
Be Large-EmplOyees
Taken Care OF

NThe most disastrous fire
visiting Wiggins since the plant
of the American Pickle & Can
ming Company burned several
years ago swept away the large
saw mill of the Finkbire Lumber
Trustees here last Saturday
afternoon.
1t was about two o'clock when
the alarm was given by the blow
ing of the saw mill whistles.
By the time the people from She
surrounding community arrived
upon the grounds of the plant,
the flames was under headway
to such an extent that it was
impossible to undertake to save
the saw mill but the work of
the hundreds who had arrived
upon the scene was directed to
saving the dry kilns, planer and
lumber stacked upon the yards
and in the sheds.
1t is supposed that the fire
originated from the slab pit at
the south end of the mill. A
stiff wind from the south was
blowing and it is thought that
sparks from the slab pit, carried
by the wind underneath tlfe mill,
started the flames.
The heroic work of the en-
ployees and citizens of Virgins
and community saved the dry.
kilns, planer and the mill
ions of feet of lumber on the
yards and in the sheds. Sever
al thousand dollars worth of
timber on the ramps extending
northward from the mill was
destroyed, while a small part
was saved.
When it was seen that it was
impossible to save the mill, all
efforts were directed to saving
the dry kilns. After this was
done the forces were directed to
the lumber ramps northward of
the mill. To extinguish the
flames destroying the ramps
northward meant the saving of
the planer mill. This was ac-
complished and as a result only
the saw mill, which has a daily
capacity of 100000 feet, was
lost, with a portion of the tim
bers which were on the ramps
and chains, and the saw mill
boilers and other y machinery
which propelled the mill.
During the fire, which was
being carried northward by the
wind, hundreds of employees
and men from every walk of life
exe!rted their energy in the saw
ing of the property,
Although the loss to the Fink
bine Lumber Trustees through
the burning of their saw mill
cannot at this time be estima-
ted, it is safe to say that their
loss is very large, both as ito
the actual property destroyed
and in losing their production
at time when the market is
good and cars for moving the
lumber are plentiful. 1t is rare
ly the case that the two condi-
tions work together. And while
the property loss is very great
the loss on production will also
be large.
1t has always been the policy
of the Trustees to give their
employees first consideration
and even now after having had
this fire every provision is being
made to take care of all their
employees until such time as
some definite arrangement can
be made for their employment.
1t is felt that even should they
decide to abandon the rebuilding
of the mill that arrangements
can be made to take care of
their men. Everyone is quite
hopeful however, that the good
word will soon be given that the
mill will be rebuilt at a very
early date and in this event not
only the men now on the pay
roll but additional labor will be
required.
Those in touch with the af-
fairs of the Finkbine Lumber
Trustees know that they fully
appreciate the very faithful
service rendered at the time of
the fire, both by the public at
large and by their own men. In
due time those who were fore
most in their efforts to protect
the Trustees property will be