INCENDIARY FIRE

Garner’s Cooper Shop Burned

LOSS ABOUT $750

[Welland Tribune, 14 November 1902]

              Welland, Nov. 12-O.H. Garner’s cooper shop out on North Main street was entirely destroyed by fire this morning. The fire started in the middle of the night, and owing to the open and inflammable nature of the building, its distance from the centre of the town and the high wind prevailing, both building and contents were practically all destroyed, the loss amounting to between $700 and $800, on which there was no insurance.

             The third and fourth ward hose carts were on hand as early as could be expected under the circumstances, but could not avert the loss.

             The fire is attributed to incendiarism, as Mr. Jackson, who lives near by and first saw the fire, declares that it was distant from the dryer, the only place in which fire had been kept on the premises.

             Owing to the lateness of the season the business will not be started up again this fall, and the loss will be a material one to the town and fruit growers as well as to Mr. Garner.

COOPER WORKS BURNED

[Welland Telegraph, 14 November 1902]

             A hot blaze and a mysterious one consumed O.H. Garner’s cooper works about three o’clock Wednesday morning. The building and contents were a total loss, and there is no insurance to cover it. The fire was seen by the Chief of Police, who was up East Main Street. He tried to turn in an alarm from the two boxes, Nos. 9 and 12, but was unable to make them work. He then used the hand rope in the town hall and succeeded in arousing the firemen. In the meantime, John Mcginnis, who lives on the north side of the burned building, discovered the fire, too. He got out and looked in the window, and saw that the fire was near the door, and not near the heater, which was the only natural source of a fire within. An alarm was sent in from the north side, but it too, failed. By the time the firemen arrived the building was gone, and a stream of water was turned on the ruins. At one time Mr. Mcginnis’ house and the house in front of the shop were both on fire, but were saved, although badly scorched. The total loss will be about $700, most of which was in material. A shipment of 150 barrels had just gone out the evening before. There were five coopers and three helpers employed in the shop, and they had a big lot of orders ahead of them. Mr. Garner says he will not start up the shop again this year, but will attempt to fill his orders from elsewhere. The origin of the fire was undoubtedly incendiary.

              Much criticism has been made by the citizens about the fire alarm, which refused to work on Wednesday morning from several points, and the citizens feel that the system should be utterly discarded, rather than left in this unsatisfactory condition. On Wednesday and yesterday the superintendent of the waterworks investigated the trouble, and found that the alarm worked, but that the hammer would not strike the bell. He remedied that and the alarm in is now O.K. from all the boxes. Some people kicked because the tests were made without warning being given, but under the circumstances this time it was excusable, although the public should be warned under ordinary circumstances.