A COSTLY FIRE

Taylor & Crow’s Hardware Store Gets a Roasting

Bad Enough, but it Might Have Turned Out Calamitous-Cool Management Counts-The Water Works a Property Saver-Loss Heavy by Damage to Stock.

[Welland Tribune, 10 March 1893]

WELLAND, March 7.- At 4 p.m., one of the clerks in Taylor & Crow’s large hardware establishment, West Main street, went into the cellar to draw some japan. In doing so, the liquid, through the pressure of gas or some other cause, spurted from the barrel and caught fire. Whether the flames were communicated from a lantern that was burning in the cellar or not, is not known. The fire came like a flash, and the clerk was obliged to retreat to save himself.

Dense volumes of smoke rushed up the elevator opening and stairway, while tongues of flames darted and danced in and out among barrels of highly inflammable oils, varnish and the like. On the floor above was stored kegs of gunpowder, and as the smoke prevented the workers from seeing where the fire was creeping, the position of affairs was for a time alarming.

The firemen gave instant response to the alarm sounded, and the streams were quickly playing on the flames.

With keen judgment Messrs. Taylor & Crow barred their doors against overcrowding and at the same time prevented the fire from getting any draught to help it along. The same care was exerted in turning loose the water, as still heavier losses would have followed if the fire had been “drowned out” without regard to damage by water.

For time it looked as if the building must go. The inside of the building was as hot as an oven, and was fittingly compared to a brick kiln with full heat on. The fire ran up the elevator and made quite a showing in the top storey. Smoke was escaping from every aperture between the cellar and the third floor, but well-directed work finally won the day and the fire was conquered.

Not before great damage was done, however, by the flames, smoke and intense heat. The building itself is considerably burned, while the stock is badly damaged. Bottoms dropped out of pans and pails; bird cages collapsed; window glass cracked and snapped. One of the heaviest items of the loss was the stock of window glass (which was quite generally broken by the water being thrown on whilst it was heated), and tin and tin plate loss was also very large. The heat played sad havoc with the fine polished hardware; the woodwork is blistered and spotted, and the store wears a dirty, smoky look. The daily papers estimated the loss at $900, but fuller investigation places it at two or three times that sum. The adjusters are now at work.

In looking into the basement it seems almost a miracle that the fire was got under control. Within a foot or two of the burning varnish was a barrel of hard finish oil-a very combustible liquid-and the wooden staves of this are burned half-way through. Near this, again, was a barrel of turpentine. Had the contents of these barrels been added to the flames, Taylor & Crow’s block, and possibly Rose’s as well, would to-day have been a bed of ashes.

Everybody is thankful that a greater calamity was averted. The present loss is covered by insurance.