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BIG FACTORY IN ASHES
The Doherty Organ Company’s Works At Clinton Totally Destroyed
150 Men Thrown Out Of Work
[Welland Tribune, 4 February 1898]
Clinton, Ont., Feb. 1: The Doherty organ factory, which has been the boast of Clinton citizens for twenty years, is this morning in ashes. The entire plant, which occupied half a block, is a total loss, not even the lumber having been saved. The origin of the fire is a mystery, except that it originated in the hot blast fan, which was used to heat the buildings. The night watchman was on duty, and smelt the fire, and soon located it in the steel box, which contained the fan. He at once stopped the working of the fan and started the pumps. By the time he returned to the fan with the hose the heat and fire were so intense that when he opened the door he was driven back and almost suffocated. A general alarm was then sounded, but owing to the very deep snow caused by yesterday’s storm, it was with difficulty that the steam engine arrived at the tanks near the factory. The temperature was considerably below zero and a very high wind blowing so that it was with difficulty that the firemen undertook their work.
The factory was the largest exclusively organ factory in Canada, and yet not large enough to meet the demands of their trade, and Mr. Doherty was making arrangements to build another large addition this year. During October, November and December the men were all working overtime. The building, stock and machinery was valued at $100,000, and there were nearly 1,000 0rgans on the way to completion, while in the yard there was nearly a million feet of valuable lumber. Against all this there is but a small insurance from $30,000 to $40,000, hence Mr. Doherty’s loss will be very heavy. About 150 men were employed, and for them to be turned out the coldest day in winter is, to say the least, not pleasant. Mr. Doherty’s residence right behind the factory was also totally destroyed.
Mr. Doherty is one of the most public-spirited citizens of Clinton, and it was only two weeks ago that he came forward and offered to stand half of the expense of building a new Methodist church, the present one proving inadequate. A committee of the Methodist church was progressing favorably in the work of raising by general subscription the balance of the sum required. Everything promised great success for Clinton’s chief industry, the Doherty Organ Works, the extensive improvements of last year making the factory one of the most compact in the country.
//aj
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