The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1928-04-13
MoRoCTo ROOFING MILL
BURNED
Big Plant At RowlandviIle Totally
Destroyed--Loss $780, 900

@S~Ss@ ~ ROOVfVVV
A fire that caused the heaviest
loss OF any that ever visited TINS en-
tire section swept the Morocto roof
Ing Company plant, at RowIanoviile,
on Thursday night, totally destroy
Ing the mill, storage houses and
stone office building.
The plant was large ONE, built
along the banks of the Octoraro
creek, at Rowlandville, and took its
name from that of the tirm-Moore,
and the creek. 1t was on the site OF
Old Mccullough Iron Company plant,
Winch dates back to before 1859,
where the one time famous Octoraro
brand OF sheet iron was man1actur-
ed. 1t was the Mccullough Iron
Company that introduced the manu-
lacture OF galvanized sheet iron INTO
me United states, sending to Europe
Ior a man famlllar with the work.
The present plant was owned and
operated by Clark P. Moore and
lean Moore, the product manufac-
tured being tarred roofing and
sningIe made of tarred paper and
slate chip. The output was large
and found ready sale in all parts OF
tne country.
The fire was discovered about nine
O'Clock Thursday night, the engineer
and three other employees beng ON
cuty at the time. 1t started III the
Jeater room, from an over heated
Journai, in the center OF the plant,
ind spread with such great rap.i:.y
throughout the mill, that those III
che Mill at the time could not che.:k
IL. the engineer who ran to shut
DOWN the engine, having to crawl
from the building to save himself.
The Community Fire Comp any, OF
this town, was first on the grounds.
lie big mill being on tire from end
70 END when the company reached
che scene. They were soon followed
ny tho Port Deposit and Oxfor 1, Pa,
Ire comI anies, and several streams
of water from the creek were played
lpon the flames and nearby struc-
tares, S. arks being carried fal and
wide by the strong wind, and caus-
lng numerous fires in the woods
along the creek.
The big frame and sheet iron
structure, with its contents OF tar,
paper stock, rags, oil, etc., burned
furiously and gave the firemen a
lerce battle for hours, but surround
ing property was saved.
Our firemen and the Port Deposit
fremen remained on the scene all
light, and returned to play water on
The burning product and rags FIR-
lay, Saturday and Sunday, devoting
.nanV hours to the work and deserv-
4ng great praise, as there was con-
liant danger Of flying sparks setting
are to nearby buildings.
Seventeen carloads Of finished
product, awaiting shipment, -FOUR
car loads Of rags just received that
lay, together with mill, storehouses
ard all the valuable machinery were
4 toral loss. The only part OF the
plant left standing is the row of i'm
nense tanks containing asphaltum.
The insulation was burned from
these but the tanks and contents are
intact.
One Maryland & Pennsylvania
box car was burned. An
engine was sent from Perryyi'le to
save whatever cars were on lbe sid
iLg, Dut one car was burned.
The plant gave employment to 55
men. ran day and night, and its loss
will be Leenly felt by the naighbor-
hood.
The loss on the mill, eq lipmen..
product. etc., was large, placed at
fully SasO,000, with but a small
amount OF insurance, as the infiam-
mable nature of the material
made Insurance rates almost prohi-
bitive.