COOPERAGE PLANT BURNED

COOPERAGE PLANT BURNED

Delay in Calling Pueblo Department Until Building Had Collapsed.

桶部Colorado Fuel & Iron Company's steel plant, at Pueblo, Col., was completely destroyed by fire recently, involving a financial loss estimated to be in the neighborhood of $100,000. The fire, which is thought to have been of incendiary origin, was discovered by a watchman at the plant at 2.15 in the morning, but an alarm was not sent in to the municipal fire department until 2.45, organized employees of the company having first endeavored to gain control of the blaze. When the firemen, numbering six under the command of Chief Sam Christy, of the Pueblo Fire Department, arrived at the scene in response to the telephoned alarm, they found the building a fallen mass of blazing debris, it having collapsed some time before. With one pump of home construction to aid them the firemen, notwithstanding, were not long in mastering the situation. There were ten 4-inch double hydrants about 100 feet apart, with a water pressure of about 60 pounds available for use. There were 20 hydrant and 2 engine streams thrown. The fire department used 400 feet of cotton rubberlined hose fitted with 1-inch nozzles. The main supplying the water was 6 inches in diameter fed by a direct pumping system. In speaking of the fire, Chief Christy said: “The steel works have a large complement of watchmen whom they use as firemen. They have excellent pressure, but they overloaded their mains with lines reducing the pressure. I was not called until the fire was practically under control and then only to safeguard the mill. I’m sorry I was not in on it right at the start.” The property, which was valued at $100,000 before the fire, was a total loss. It was located in the southern part of the city of Pueblo and occupied a site 280 feet by 65 feet. It was built about 12 years ago of brick and frame, the walls being of brick.