Lowell, Massachusetts, USA
1853 - Destructive Fires in Lowell-Merrimack Mill Burnt.

A slip from the office of the Lowell Vox Populi states that a destructive fire occurred at Mechanics' Mills, in that city on Wednesday night, which destroyed property to the amount of from $12,000 to $15,000. The parties who suffered by the fire were WEBSTER & LEWIS, sash and blind makers; BROOKS & TYLER, stable keepers; ISAAC PLACE, sash and blind dealer; GEORGE FISKE, store-house for bobbins; CHARLES A. DURGIN, manufacturer of sewing machines; MICHAEL COMSTOCK, machinist, and JOHN PETTENGILL, carpenter. The heaviest loss falls upon the mechanics who occupied the building, and whose tools and stock were generally destroyed. There was no insurance upon the property. The fire is believed to have been the work of an incendiary.
Another and still more destructive fire occurred on Thursday morning of which Vox Populi gives the following account:

"Between 7 and 7½ o'clock this morning, while the operatives were out to breakfast, fire was discovered in the carding room of No.1 Mill of the Merrimack Company, which has proved the most destructive of any fire which has ever occurred in this city.

"The spinning room, which was in the second story, was enveloped in flames when the fire was discovered, and so rapidly did the fire extend, there could be no effective measures taken to save the building and its contents. It is supposed to have caught from friction in the belt box in the card room.

"Above this were the spinning rooms and the dressing room, the building being four stories high. These were completely burnt out, with all their contents - the progress of the fire being so rapid as to preclude the possibility of entering the rooms after it was first discovered.

"The surrounding buildings, in the immediate vicinity, were in imminent danger; but by the vigilance of the firemen, and those employed by the Company, they were all saved uninjured."

The loss by the fire is of course very large, and is undoubtedly covered by insurance by the Mutual Association of the different manufacturing corporations of Lowell, which was incorporated two of three years since, with a capital of $11,500,000.

The mill was doing a profitable business, and cannot be again started for several months. There will, therefore, be a heavy loss accruing from this source, estimated at $75,000.

The New York Times
New York, New York
June 18, 1853

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