BONE MILL BURNED.

Franklin Times, Volume 9, Issue 704, 3 February 1922, Page 4

BONE MILL BURNED.

TOTAL DESTRUCTION. VERY HEAVY LOSS. On Thursday morningv a ( t about 4 a.m J; fire broke out in the bone mill owned by Mr D. H. Madill, Geo/geSreet, Tuakau, and got such a hold before it was discovered that it was utterly impossible to even save thevaluable stocks in ;the mill. The mill was a wooden and iron building, adn fanned by an easterly wind burned with a fierce vehemence, and swiftly enveloped the whole structure. Neighbouring residents arrived but could not do anything. The boiler quickly got up steam and a beam falling on the whistle co/d pulled it and caused the whistle to blow for some time, arousing those within hearing. The mill had been go,t ready for the corning season, and was stocked with 60 tons of bones, 3000 sacks for bone-dust, and other materials, besides spare engine and machinery parts. A £250 weigh-bridge and valuable machines were also utterly destroyed Six ,tons of coal had been carted in and a start was to be made in a few days. On the day preceding the fire, Mr Madill ran the machinery for a couple of hours in the morning, and then stopped. When he left at 6 o’clock there was not a sign of fire or smoke.

Although (the origin of the fire is a mystery, it is quite certain that the fire did not start in the engineroom, but in a section whebprsacks were stocked, and suspicion is attached to tramps. Several were seen that day around the building. Mr Madill is a heavy loser. The insurances are £SOO on building and machinery, and £4OO on stock. Mr Madill intends re-erecting the mill, and is getting machinery immediately, having already secured £250 worth of bones. Thus he lopes to be working again shortly, and will fulfil all his orders as originaly arranged.