Mexborough & Swinton Times – Friday 10 March 1893
Saw Mill On Fire At Conisborough.
£700 Damages.
Monday night was rendered notable in Conisborough through a fire which occurred at Mr. R. Wilson’s, The Castle Saw Mills. The mills are situated in the very bottom of the valley on the east side of the castle, and conscious of an irregular block of buildings of great antiquity. At one time part of the buildings were used as the flour mill to supply the Castle, and old mill-stones are on the premises, one bearing the date 1769. The water-wheel and gearing, which with additions alterations, and renewals, is still used to supply the motive power to the works, has been in existence from time immemorial, and it was in the very lowest situated of the block of buildings in which the gearing is placed that the fire broke out.
When it started, or how it started, is unknown, but at 10.15 P.c. Parker noticed an unusual light in the direction of the works, and on getting into better position for observation saw flames coming throuth the interstices of the tiles. He quickly called Mr. Robert Wilson, and Mr. W. Wilson, his show, and the information w .s conveyed to Mr. George Harrison, captain of the fire brigade. With commendable promptness the brigade was got to the scene of the conflagration. They had half-a-mile to travel, but still were on the spot about eleven o’clock
The fire, it was seen had obtained firm hold of the building, and the roof fell in about a quarter of an hoar after the arrival of the brigade. Soon afterwards the fire engine from Mr. Booth’s s sickle works was on the spot. Willing hands to man the pumps were plentiful, and the dam being almost on a level with the roof a good supply of water was obtained, and three jets of water were kept going. There was a very large quantity of dried wood on the premises, and this burnt very fiercely. The efforts of the brigades were turned to saving the other sections of the mill, and this was accomplished with strenuous effort.
Mr. H. Saville displayed considerable pluck in climbing on to the roof of one of the buildings that he might play on the fire beneath. The efforts were rewarded with success, partly because the buildings are practically semi-detached from each other, but danger was not past until about four o’clock in the morning. Mr. Booth’s engine then left, though the fire brigade remained on the spot till ten o’clock. The part of the mill in which the fire originated was completely gutted. A large quantity of brush stocks, tree nails, mangle rollers, and the whole of the gearing of the water wheel was completely consumed, and valuable saws were also ruined.
The total damage is estimated at £700, and as it was not insured, the distress of Mr. Wilson, who is now getting on in years, and who saw the result of his life’s labours disappearing, was very great. It was not rendered the less acute by the belief that the mischief was the work of an incendiary. The reason the promises were not insured was because Mr. Wilson would not comply with the rules the fire offices laid down —that all fireplaces should by bricked round and double iron doors fixed to separate them from the main building. The surmise that the tire might have been caused by the over-heating of the saw dust is not entertained by those who know the premises. It was fortunate that the yard was fairly clear of timber, owing to last seasons’s falls not having been got home. In a very short time a large quantity of posts and rails for use on the new Cadeby railway are expected, and it is another matter for congratulation that they had not arrived.
A number of people have visited the scene of the fire since its occurrence and some of them have felt so little sympathy to the owner that they have stolen a quantity of leather belting that was saved from the fire.
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