A BIG FIRE

Ellsworth’s Planing Mill Burned

WELLAND, July 30-Welland was visited with a disastrous conflagration to-day, resulting in the total destruction by fire of Ellsworth’s saw and planing mill, Shepards’s canning factory, and other property. Mr. Ellsworth and all his men were away working at a job in town, except the engineer, John Baker.  The fire originated in the boiler room, in the temporary absence of the engineer. The building was wholly of wood, barn-like and filled with dry, inflammable material, so that it blazed up like a bunch of matches. Although the fire took place at 2 o’clock in the afternoon and was immediately detected, yet before the alarm bell was rung, the smoke and flames were pouring out of every interstice of the building. Besides the large frame building a large quantity of lumber, manufactured and rough, was burned, making the heat so great as to threaten to ignite Schomacher’s and Gross’s houses to the south and Gross’s pump factory to the west. A quantity of lumber piled between Gross’s factory and the burning building quickly ignited and increased the danger to Gross’s. Fortunately the wind blew toward the river, so that the engine was got to working before the flames got to the hottest. Two streams were kept playing on the flames, which were speedily got under so far as the lumber was concerned, rendering Gross’s factory safe. The firemen worked as brave firemen only know how. Unfortunately the suction hose slipped and took in a lot of sand and pebbles, breaking but not entirely disabling the engine.

             Latterly the business of canning peas had been carried on by Mr. Shepard in the mill, steam from the boiler being utilized for cooking purposes. Until the day previous the number of women and children employed had been located upstairs in the planing mill, but had just been moved downstairs into an addition built for them. Had they been upstairs we would undoubtedly have a horror to relate, as it would have been utterly impossible for them to have escaped considering the fearful rapidity with which the flames enveloped the building.

             The principal losers are John Hunter, of the former firm of Hunter, Murray & Co., the first aqueduct contractors, who owned the saw and planing mill. Mr. Hunter’s loss is probably about $1000; insured for $2000.

             Geo. Ellsworth loses a large quantity of tools, plank and material. He was doing a good business in building, sawing &c., which is of course destroyed.

             H.N. Shepard who was canning peas for a Hamilton canning factory loses all he had invested in the business. The Hamilton factory will also be losers. There was about $600 or $700 worth of canned peas in the building, part of which were saved, as they were stored on the windward side of the building.

             Edward Teskey had 25 new fanning mills burned, valued at about $700. In a few days more the mills would have been sold and removed.

             W.H. Crow had about $500 worth of lumber burned, partially insured.

             A.D. Brown, of Wellandport, suffered a loss of some $200 on timber and plank that was being handled in the saw mill. This fire is further referred to in our article on the water works, elsewhere in this paper.

Welland Tribune

5 August 1887

Fire:30 July 1887