Marietta Daily Times, April 12, 1924
Blaze Gives Firemen Their Most Stubborn Fight in Years.
Pump Water on Fire All Night.
Property is Fully Insured and Building Will Be Rebuilt.
Fire of unknown origin raged for several hours on Friday evening in the heart of the Marietta Chair Company yards, burning a destructive course through a large storage house that was filled with manufactured lumber. It was one of the most spectacular blazes that have occurred in the city in a number of years. The loss is estimated by the company at $50,000.
The building destroyed was 100 feet long by some 30 feet wide, with a shed running along one side. The structure was two stories in height, and it was filled almost completely with what are known as "squares." These consist of lumber sawed to shape to be used in the manufacture of chairs, and they had been stacked solidly in the storage house to season for use in the factory. The majority of the stock in the building was of oak, although there was one lot of black walnut.
Whole Fire Force Out
Marietta's entire fire fighting equipment was rushed to the scene and the regular men of the department were assisted by volunteer forces, among the latter a number of the Marietta Chair Company employees who have been trained to use the company's own fire prevention equipment. Water for fighting the flames was obtained from the large high-pressure mains that run past the chair factory on Seventh Street, and six strings of hose poured hundred of thousands of gallons into the stubborn blaze. Water in reduced quantities was kept plying on the burning mass until after daylight on Saturday morning.
Workmen in the main plant of the chair factory discovered the fire just before 5 o'clock on Friday afternoon. Superintendent Pirrung was in the factory at the time and as soon as the alarm was sounded had the city department called. In the meantime fire extinguishers and company hose were brought into play but were not capable of coping with the flames.
Employee's Autos Damaged
As nearly as could be told the fire started in the northeast corner of the storage house. Directly in front of that point, the shell had been arranged as a shelter wherein factory men placed their automobiles. Several machines were in the place at the time and three of these were badly damaged, one being almost entirely destroyed.
As the flames swept through the solidly-packed lumber that was stored in the building, they found ready fuel and in less than a quarter of an hour they were rolling into the air to a height of nearly 100 feet, while vast clouds of gray smoke were thrown up. There was not a breath of air stirring and this was most fortunate, as the burning structure was closely surrounded by other buildings and great ricks of lumber. A wind from almost any direction might have caused further disaster.
Crowds Watch Flames
Thousands of people thronged to that section of the city to watch the fire, and the hills that overlook the Goose Run valley gave excellent points of vantage from which to witness the spectacle. Most of the streets in that part of Marietta were clogged with automobiles all during the early evening. The crowds hung about the scene until late in the evening.
S. W. Thurlow, general manager of the company, was absent from the city on Friday, but Col. John Mills, head of the institution, was there, and he with his assistants, Messrs. Pirrung and Hecker, directed operations and looked after the placing of the men who were detailed to assist the department. Agents of the company saw to it that coffee and sandwiches were supplied for the firemen, and these were served by Ensign Phelps of the Salvation Army and by Chief Putnam of the police. These men staid on the job during the evening, then detailed their assistants to follow up the work as the night advanced.
Col. Mills Gets Fall
While two or three of the volunteer firemen were overcome by the smoke and fumes arising from the burning lumber, none of them had any serious trouble. Col. John Mills sustained a fall when he stepped on a loose board as he walked through the lumber yards and suffered painful bruises over his left eye and along the side of his face.
As soon as the location and nature of the fire had been determined, officials of the water works department issued orders to the pump station engineers to speed up their machinery, and this was done with the result that they not only pumped added pressure against the hydrants being used but maintained a full head in the city reservoir all during the evening, thus being ready for any emergency. There are three high pressure mains along Seventh Street directly in front of the scene of the fire, so that there was no chance of water shortage. A 90 pound pressure was maintained until the fire was under control, and this was augmented by the fire department pumper.
It is announced by the Marietta Chair Company that the damaged property was all insured, and as soon as losses are adjusted the work of clearing away the wreckage and replacing the ruined building will be undertaken. Operation of the factory will not be affected.
