“About half past nine o’clock, this morning, the cry of fire was heard on the streets, and in a few moments the huge fire-alarm bell sent forth its awful clangor. A dense column of black smoke at the same time was seen rising from the vicinity of Bostwick & Wilmot’s factory and, in a moment more, as it seemed, the whole of that extensive establishment was enveloped in flames.
The firemen were promptly at the scene of the disaster, and at once began the contest with their old enemy. The wind was quite fresh from south-south-east, and carried the flames, smoke and cinders directly towards the bridge which spans six-Mile creek just northwest of the burning building. And now commenced a battle for the possession of the bridge s gallant as those that have made Lodi and Arcola famous. The flames charged to the end of the bridge, licking with their fiery tongues planking, sills and railing; then darting forward endeavored to carry the whole length of the bridge by a coup de main.
Notwithstanding the heat was scorching buildings beyond even where the firemen were, those brave, hardy fellows, with old doors for screens, unflinchingly stood their ground, and poured in a well directed stream right on the forehead of the advancing fire-fiend. After a fierce struggle the firemen were enabled to advance along the bridge, and play upon the building, but not until that and the shed to the east of it were a tottering mass of burning ruins. The destruction here was complete, nothing at all being saved except the books; so sudden and swift was the work of destruction. The buildings and material to the south were saved by noble work on the part of the firemen. Had the wind been in the north, the destruction must have been much greater. As it is, the total loss of Messrs. Bostwick & Wilmot will reach $20,000 to $25000. The bridge is badly burned at the end, and the fence and grass around Mr. John McGraw’s terrace were badly singed, as were also those fine willows across the street to the north of the burnt premises. Cinders were carried clear over on to State street, igniting buildings in several places between that point and the fire, which luckily were discovered and extinguished before any damage had been done. Messrs. Bostwick & Wilmot has insurance on the burned property as follows: In the Insurance Company of North America, Phil., $1,500, on building, Edward Stoddard, agent. In the following companies, represented by Hon. G. W. Schuyler, the insurance was as follows: Orient, Hartford, on engine, boiler, machinery and tools $1,500; Aetna, Hartford, $1,350 on stock and tools; Lamar, New York, $1,500 on stock in yard. The loss is very heavy owing to the fact that there had been no sales of stock this spring, and the building was literally packed with manufactured goods. The proprietors were down to the Inlet this morning to engage shipment by boats on the canal. And at noon they had nothing to ship. They had been constantly improving their machinery and various appliances, for the past six years, and undoubtedly had one of the best appointed works of the kind in the country. Mr. Bostwick told our reporter that he was deeply sensible of how much he owed to the heroic work of the firemen, and wished to acknowledge and thank them in this public manner for the same. This company employed upwards of thirty men whom this two hours’ destruction has thrown out of employment.
The telegraph poles along the street opposite the burning building were burned, letting the wire down; but as soon as the heat would permit we saw the men busily engaged in restringing the wire.
The origin of the fire is not certainly known, though it is supposed that it originated either from the smoke-stack or the boiler.
P.S.—Mr. Bostwick assures us they had $9,000 insurance on the destroyed property.”
“The Fire This Forenoon: Bostwick & Wilmot’s Barrel Factory with all its Contents Destroyed—Total loss $25,000.” Ithaca Daily Journal, May 26, 1873, ?