South Plainfield Grist Mill Goes Up
in Flames, Threatening the Town
FIREMEN�S HARD FIGHT
Plainfield Department Hurried to Give Aid
and Helped to Save the Village.
By a fire, the like of which had never occurred in Piscataway
Township before and seldom its like in rural precincts of Middlesex
County, the old South Plainfield grist mill was destroyed last night.
About 9 o�clock last evening volumes of smoke and sheets of flame
were seen issuing from the mill. In the crisp frosty night and the strong
wind, the fire was almost instantly beyond control. The newly-organized
volunteer company gathered, and while one of the members phoned to
Plainfield for assistance, the rest, after saving a few sacks of corn, turned
their attention to adjoining properties.
Right in line of the wind was the residence of Patrick Kaine, and here
the main exertions of the men were centered. Mr. Kaine�s house, which
is known as the old Stewart house, for many years occupied by Thomas
Van Nest, and which has just been almost rebuilt, was covered for two
hours with a complete atmosphere of flame, and sparks. As it was, the
building that stood between the main fire and the village, it was seen at
once that if it caught fire, the whole of South Plainfield would be wiped
out, the energies of the entire company were concentrated upon it.
The combined efforts of the Plainfield fire department and the
Middlesex Volunteer Fire Company saved the village, but it was nearly
2:30 o�clock this morning before their work was done. The wind drove
great red-hot pieces of charcoal and corn-sacking almost as far as the
Lehigh Valley Railroad, which is a quarter of a mile away, and nearly
every house along the path of the falling ashes caught some of them and
was endangered.
The South Plainfield Grist Mill was built nearly seventy years ago,
and has long been one of the land marks of the county. A flax mill used
to stand beside it and in the two the residents of the two past generations
in that vicinity were accustomed to hold their frolics and their festivals.
Probably every man and woman in Middlesex County has at one time or
another, enjoyed the hospitality of the villages in the two old mills.
The flax mill went out of existence long since of old age and decay,
but the mill which was burned down last night stood the ravages of time
and was purchased a few years ago by the Middlesex Water Company. It
has since been rented by that company to various millers and has been in
the hands for some years, until now, of F. Kellog, of Park avenue,
Plainfield.
The cause of the fire is unknown. The miller had been in the mill up
to a few moments before the blaze was discovered and had gone over to
the water company�s plant nearby. Some one called to him: �Look! The
mill is on fire!� Flames were leaping up in the second story.
There is a theory that the fire started from heat or spark generated by
the revolving of the old-fashioned bur stones used in grinding grain, and
finding a favorable place for ignition in the dry floors where they had
been set for many years, started up and spread.
The Consumers� Coal Company, of this city, owned the milling
business and Mr. Kellog was a shareholder in the company. He had for
his own part the business of grinding for customers, but the Consumers�
Coal Company had the grinding done for their business in this city.
The Consumers� Coal Company estimate their loss at $1,300, on
which was $1,000 insurance. The mill property as a whole was estimated
at $10,000 to $12,000. Some years ago Mr. Ackor fitted the mill up with
new machinery and this represented a good part of the value of the plant.
The Consumers� Coal Company say the fire will have no effect upon
their business for they will continue to get stock elsewhere.
Town Committeeman William Hamilton, chief of the fire department
at South Plainfield, voicing the sentiments of the entire district of South
Plainfield, expresses the most hearty thanks of the village to Chief Doane
and to the Plainfield fire department for their prompt response to the call
made upon them last night and for the splendid service they rendered in
saving the village. The citizens feel that but for their aid all their property
would have been destroyed.
The thanks of the village are also most cordially presented
through Chief Hamilton to the ladies of the village who stayed up nearly
all the night and prepared hot coffee and refreshments for those who were
defending their property.