by Laurel | September 8th, 2014
03 September 1887
Hadley Thread Mill & Valley Paper Mills
Holyoke, Massachusetts
Another Destructive Fire — Fire broke out at the Hadley Thread Mill at 3:40 o’clock yesterday morning, resulting in damages estimated at from $50,000 to $75,000, fully covered by insurance in the Manufacturer’s Mutual companies. the origin of the fire is unknown, and the stories as to where it started are conflicting, some saying that it was first discovered in the wooden bridge connecting the wood-working department with the dye-house, while others are positive that it broke our in the wood-turning shop. Officer Cronin, who was early on the ground and helped but on the first stream of water, is positive that when he arrived the bridge was not on fire, but the flames were raging in the wood-shop. George L. Battersby, the boiler man, who rang the mill bell, says that it was burning in the woodshop when he first saw it. David Barney, foreman of the machine shop, was quickly on hand after the alarm was given and soon had two streams of water put on the fire from the mill force-pumps. The fire department responded promptly, and soon 23 streams of water were being thrown on the fire. The flames were driven through the wooden bridge to the two-story brick building, 160 feet long and 60 feet wide, located between the main mill and the machine-shop, containing the dye-room, bleachery and dry room. In these rooms were 50,000 pounds or more of the best quality of thread valued at $1 and $1.50 a pound, much of it ready for shipping, and this was nearly ruined. The building was soon a heap of smoking ruins. Another wooden bridge running from the dry-room to the main mill carried the flames to the very doors and windows of the mill, where they were checked by the brick wall. the firemen and mill employees, who fought the advance of the flames inch by inch. Had there been any wind nothing could have saved the mil. The west end of the carpenter shop was badly scorched and the machinery was more or less injured. Many of the men lost their tools, the pattern-makers’ loss being $100 or more. O.B. Pier — foreman of the wood shop, had $600 and some bank books in his tool chest which he succeeded in saving. The manufacturing will not be hindered, but the finishing department will be disabled till the buildings can be rebuilt. A man was sent to Worcester yesterday morning to see about having the bleaching done there and accommodations for dyeing will be found nearer home. The company is full of orders for goods. The annual production is 1,300,000 pounds of spool cottons, shoe thread, harness and seine twines, fine cotton yarns and cotton warps, and 725 hands are employed.
Raids On Disreputable Houses — Capt Fenton, Officers Crowley, Blackmer, Chamberlain, Lynch, Peters and Gallagher went over to the Highland and Rice houses of ill fame yesterday morning and captured Mrs. Mattie Davis, keeper of the Rice House together with Hattie Woods, Bertha Thompson, Lillie Clark, Eva Marsh, Gertie Snow, Mary Brown, Mary Mason and two men giving their names as Frank Tyler and David Benson. The officers started at 1 o’clock in three hacks and surprised the inmates of the houses, whom they landed in the police station about 3 a.m. They were arraigned in the police court yesterday morning. Mrs. Davis for keeping a house of ill-fame was fined $55. Frank Tyler, David Benson, Lillie Clark and Eva Marsh were fined $25 each for fornication. Hattie Woods and Mary Brown were fined $18 and Mary Mason, Bertha Thompson and Gertie Snow $20 each for vagrancy. All paid. Kate Hurlburt was given three months and Cyrus Hathon four months in the house of correction for drunkenness, third offense. W. P. Hanbury paid $9 for a second offense of drunkenness. J. J. Hafey was fined $5 for trotting on the county bridge. The total fines footed up $200.
The police were obliged to abandon their search for the body of Corneulius Corcoran, and it will probably be recovered wen the canals are drawn off tonight.
James Dwyer will sell at auction at his blacksmith shop on Suffolk Street this afternoon at 2 o’clock a number of horses, carts and tools which are advertised in another column.
The Holyoke Rifle Club have appointed a committee to look up a suitable location for a new range and report as soon as convenient. The club have invitations to take part in three contests for medals.
Adapted from The Springfield Republican.
