Whitall Tatum, Millville, New Jersey

WHITALL TATUM SUFFERS $150,000 FIRE LOSS

The most disastrous fire in the history of Millville, N. J., destroyed a portion of the Whitall Tatum Co.'s lower works, late Thursday night of last week, May 3, resulting in a loss estimated close to $150,000, and throwing out of employment about 350 workers.

Factories Nos. 9, 10, 11 and 12 were destroyed and three large packing houses were badly damaged. The factories, constructed of frame, went up in smoke in less than an hour. The four factories are merely a heap of charred wood, metal and concrete.

It is stated that the fire was the result of a flare an overflow of gas or an explosion in the lehr in No. 11 factory. No. 11 factory has been remodeled and was about completed. There was nobody at work there but the lehr was being used. The flames spread rapidly to the other factories; in fact all four factories were under one immense shed of flame and it would have been difficult to save any of them. Energetic work prevented the fire's spread over a larger area - this and the fact that most of the structures close by are of brick and steel construction.

George S. Bacon, general manager of the company was at the scene of the destruction a few minutes following the alarm. He directed the attack of the firemen in certain parts of the yard and came out of the yard drenched to the skin, as did most of the fire fighters, who worked faithfully for three hours, conquering the most destructive conflagration Millville has ever had.

Although there were no automatic machines in the four factories destroyed, there were rotary presses and other expensive glass manufacturing equipment, that will cost huge sums to replace. Had the fire got to No. 8 factory the loss would have been doubled, there being several machines beside the new automatic flowing device, installed there.

Factory No. 12, with 16 shops working, employed more men than any other glass factory in Millville.

No time is being lost in rebuilding the destroyed factories. The insurance adjustors were in Millville on Friday morning, May 4, as were the owners of the Whitall Tatum plants, and the examination of the destruction was no sooner completed than a great force of workmen were at work clearing away the ruins. By nightfall there had been a remarkable amount of progress made; in fact the most of the charred wood and twisted metal had been removed. A temporary roof had been erected over No. 11 tank, which had been remodeled.

It was stated that the replacements will be fire proof structures of steel, brick and concrete, and that the architecture will be up-to-date in design. The work will be rushed.

Most of the workmen who were made jobless by the destruction of the four factories are to be given employment by the company in other parts of the yard. Number 5 factory is to be started at once. Fire was placed in the factory yesterday. It is also proposed to use some of the men on a third shift in the Big Tank. Others will be employed elsewhere in the plant.