Chatham
Blanketeer
Vol. 6
SEPTEMBER 16, 1940
No. 19
FIRE DESTROYS
SCOURING PLANT
‘Old Mill” Goes up in Flames at
Loss to Company Estimated at
Approximately $250,000
Coining as the second catastro
phe within a month, fire destroy
ed a portion of what is familiarly
known as the Old Mill, on Friday
night, September 6th. Fire which
originated in a drying machine
caused a fire estimated at $250,-
000 damage to the scouring plant
of the Company.
The fire was discovered at 7:30
p.m. by a workman. The flames
quickly spread over the entire
plant and were out of control
within a few minutes after the
thirty men at work on the night
shift had fled to safety.
The sprinkler system failed to
stop the fire and was cut off.
Approximately 150,000 pounds of
wool was destroyed.
With the aid of Chatham em
ployees the Elkin fire department
prevented the spread of the fire
to the storage plant, saving about
forty per cent, of the structure.
Within about four hours the
fire was brought under control,
but firemen and helpers contin
ued to fight the blaze.
This plant was the second
home of the Chatham Manufac
turing Company. The first one
was located on the Elkin Creek
where the old Shoe Factory now
stands, and was a wooden struc
ture. This building was con
structed forty-seven years ago,
and had been used for several
years for scouring and carboniz
ing wool, preparatory to the man
ufacture of blankets and cloth.
All machinery was ruined by
the blaze. This part of the plant
can never be used again. The
scouring plant had just under
gone reconditioning following the
flood of August 14th. At this
time the building was almost sub
merged by waters from the Yad
kin river. It had been flooded
many times during the years it
had been in use.
Flans are being made for the
new department to be rebuilt on
the hill near the present plant.
In the meantime the wool will be
scoured elsewhere and shipped to
Elkin for manufacturing. Work
has not been curtailed and will
not be. The employees of this
department have been placed
elsewhere in the plant.
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Dan El-
dridge, a son, Dan Eldridge, Jr.,
at the Hugh Chatham Memorial
hospital, September 5, 1940.
■
AFTER 47 YEARS OF SERVICE—Top scene was photographed
as fire destroyed our scouring plant the night of September 6.
Flames are shown pouring from second story windows as firemen
and Chatham employees fought valiantly to prevent the conflagra
tion from spreading to the west wing: of the building. Bottom photo
shows water-soaked, fire-scarred ruins of the scouring plant the
morning after the blaze. Standing high upon the hill in the back
ground, safe from floods that have caused much damage to the now
gone “old mill,” stands the main plant of our Company.— (Photos
by Walter Burgiss.)
FIRE DESTROYS
DOBSON HOME
Flames of Undetermined Origin
Gain Good Headway; Few
Things Are Saved
Fire of unknown origin destroy
ed the home of Mr. and Mrs.
Henry Dobson, on Bridge street,
Thursday morning about 3:30
a.m. The six-room home was
completely destroyed. Members
of the family left early in the
day, Mrs. Dobson to Richmond,
and the two daughters, Alice
Blake and Anna Katherine, to
Winston-Salem. Mr. Dobson was
alone in the house at the time
and barely escaped uninjured. He
was awakened by the falling tim
ber in an adjoining room. When
he attempted to get to the phone
he singed his hair in the blaze.
Only a few scattered things were
saved from the home, the fire
having gained such, headway be
fore the firemen reached the
scene.
The home and furnishings were
partly covered by insurance.
Lucy Hanes Chatham
Club I s Entertained
Members of the Lucy Hanes
Chatham Club No. 1 enjoyed a
theatre and drug store party
Thursday evening. The group at
tended the showing of “The New
Moon,” starring Jeanette McDon
ald and Nelson Eddy, at the
Lyric theatre, after which they
were entertained at Abernethy’s
drug store. Twenty-five enjoyed
the hospitality of the hostesses.
The hostesses were Mesdames
Leonard York, Fae Reavis, Myrtle
Martin, Geneva Harris, M a r-
guerite Walker, Ruth Johnson
and Leona Myers.
Is Your Department
In the Dog House?
The following departments find
themselves out of the “Dog
House” for this month, having
been put there because of Lost
Time accidents in their depart
ments: Shipping, Spinning, Card
ing, and Picker Room.
Departments in the “Dog
House” for August include the
following: Wash Room, Print
Shop, Burling Room and Wool
Room.
Do your part to get out of the
“Dog House” and to keep your
department from getting in.