History threads — ‘Disastrous conflagration’ prevented

This is the latest in an occasional series of posts about the history of the garment industry in Warren, Washington, Saratoga and Essex counties.

An alert employee at the Glen Shirt factory prevented a fire from erupting into what “might have been a disastrous conflagration,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on Dec. 17, 1884.

“About five o’clock an employee observed smoke issuing forth from the portion of the basement in which unlaundered goods are kept,” The Morning Star reported.

Employees had left work in the area of the fire about a half hour earlier.

“Upon investigation it was ascertained that a bundle of shirts was on fire. An alarm was sounded, but the flames extinguished without the aid of the fire department.”

It was concluded that apparently kerosene from an unlit lantern had leaked onto the garments.

“Had the fire occurred an hour or two later, it is probable the damage would have been heavy.”

In other local garment factory historic news:

“Business is quite brisk at the J.L. Libby & Company, Park Street, and the cutters are obliged to work overtime,” The Morning Star reported on Jan. 25,1884.

On April 30, 1884, The Morning Star reported that after a fire had disrupted operations, the E.A. VanWagner & Co. shirt manufacturers would be resuming operation soon at space leased in the Crandall Block at the corner of Glen and South streets.

Click here to read the most recent previous History Threads post.