The brick works – rebuilt after the fire

A Land Mark Gone

Dayton, Ill., Nov. 15. – Last Sunday evening about twelve o’clock the old woolen mill property was discovered to be on fire, flames leaping out at the roof and the whole building was soon engulfed in flames. Most of the people in town were soon aroused by the bright light and by the noise of the falling timbers, but the fire had gained too much headway to warrant any attempt at checking or extinguishing it. The floor being saturated with oil it burned very rapidly and soon the roof fell in, flames shot out of every door and window, floor after floor tumbled in, and the magnificent stone building was reduced to ashes in a few hours, nothing remaining but the empty walls. A flue runs from one of the brick kilns to the large chimney in the corner of the building, and it is supposed the fire originated in some way from this chimney which was built originally for a boiler. This fine building was constructed of Joliet or Lemont stone, was 50×100 feet square, five stories in height, the roof being surmounted by a cupola, &c. It was built in 1864 by the firm of J. Green & Co. at a cost of $32,000 and filled with woolen machinery worth $33,000. This firm run it as a woolen mill until 1878 when they failed in business and the building remained idle for a number of years. Mr. Jesse Green then purchased it and ran it for a few years but finally sold off the woolen machinery to various parties, and the building and water power to his son-in-laws Messrs Williams and Hess who in 1884 organized a brick company. This firm put in brick machinery, built kilns, &c. and manufactured brick for a number of years, but this season sold the whole property to Messrs Soule & Williams who have been continuing the manufacture of brick. The total loss by fire to the last named firm is about $10,000 and we understand there is no insurance. They will probably put a roof over the walls erect two floors, and continue business.¹

1. Ottawa [Illinois] Free Trader, November 17, 1888, p. 8, col. 2