Total Destruction of the Review and Herald Printing Plant
By L. A. S.
The following is a statement of the facts concerning the fire which destroyed the main building of the Review and Herald plant, so far as inquiry has been able to ascertain them:— The alarm was first given at 7:30 p. m., Tuesday, December 30. A number of the employees were at work in the building at the time, but no one was in a position to see how the fire originated. It is agreed by those who were first on the spot that the fire started in the basement, at a point nearly under the dynamo room, which is a part of the first brick building erected, having been originally the engine room. The first indication of disaster was the smell of smoke, and hardly was this discovered and an investigation begun, before the electric lights went out, leaving every room in darkness. Immediately following that the smoke became so dense that immediate escape from the building became imperative, and the employees who had been at work sought safety by the fire escapes, exit by the stairways and entrances having been already cut off. As was to be expected from the nature of the building and its material and contents, the fire spread from the first with almost incredible rapidity. The city fire department was promptly on the spot, and made heroic exertions to subdue the flames, but the difficulty of the task was too great. So dense was the smoke, that it was utterly impossible to get inside the building to attack the fire from within, and the13size of the building, giving the flames a wide sweep through highly inflammable material, largely nullified the effectiveness of the streams of water directed upon it. Within half an hour from the first alarm, the whole structure was a roaring furnace, and attention was given to saving near-by buildings, which were seriously threatened by the fierce heat. Fortunately the direction of the wind was such that the flames were blown away from the west building, comprising that portion of the plant where are located the bank, the book depository, and the offices of the General Conference. This building was uninjured. A block of buildings eastward from the main structure was more seriously threatened, but the direction of the wind, which was nearly from the south, saved it from serious damage. The cause of the fire is a mystery. The very day on which it occurred the chief of the city fire department, in company with the office electrician, made a tour of inspection throughout the building, examining the wiring for the lights and other possible sources of danger, and pronounced everything in satisfactory condition; this being done with a view to a renewal of the insurance on January 1. The night watchman was on duty at the time, and only a few moments before the first alarm, had passed through that part of the building in which the fire originated. It would seem that the fire must have started and gained a strong hold upon the surrounding material in hardly more than a moment of time. The presence of the combustible material necessary to the operation of a printing office would make this possible. Only a few people were in the building when the fire broke out, and these, with one exception, made their way out with little difficulty. An employee named James Mulcahy had a narrow escape, finding his exit cut off by fire and locked doors, and being obliged to creep through the passageways on account of the dense smoke. He was rescued by help from without. The building and contents were totally destroyed. The loss is partially covered by insurance of $100,000. A meeting of the employees was called the next morning at nine o'clock, at which the situation was considered, with particular reference to the effect of the calamity upon those who were dependent on their weekly wages for support. The assurance was given by the management that no one of the employees would be permitted to suffer for the necessaries of life; and plans were suggested by which it was believed employment could be furnished to all. Some will go out to scatter our publications, and some will be employed by the Sanitarium, and some may connect with our publishing houses elsewhere. All face the situation calmly, courageously, hopefully, confident that victory will yet come out of seeming defeat, and the scripture will again be proved true, that "all things work together for good to them that love God." Other publishing houses of the city kindly offered assistance through the use of their facilities, and many telegrams of sympathy were received from firms with which the Office has sustained business relations. It is too early at this date to attempt any statements with reference to the question of rebuilding. L. A. S.