Fire - Gilbert Manufacturing Company, Bainbridge, NY
Chenango Union, Norwich, NY Dec. 16, 1886
About 1:30 o'clock, Wednesday A.M., Charles H. Presbrey, the Superintendent of the Gilbert Manufacturing Company, arose to replenish his coal stove, and as he looked out of the window, he discovered the factory building to be on fire. He rushed to the building and called to the night watchman, George Peterson, and his assistant, Martin Jacobson, to let him in. On entering he informed them that the factory was on fire in the west end, where a night force had been shoeing sleds until 10 o'clock that evening. The three hastened to the third floor, which is used for a paint and varnish room and fastening shoes on sleds, where they discovered a small fire in the rear of the sleds. Mr. Peterson says that he commenced removing the sleds to reach the fire, and Mr. Presbrey was laying the hose from the water pipe toward the fire, when Mr. Presbrey ordered him to go below and blow the whistle and open the hydrant and attach the hose on the first floor, run it out of the building and try to reach the fire from the outside. Mr. Peterson then left Mr. Presbrey and Jacobson and went below. Mr. Presbrey's last order being "Keep cool, George, and don't get excited." Mr. Jacobson remained with Mr. Presbrey until he was nearly suffocated with smoke, and then caught a lantern and said to Mr. Presbrey, "Let us get out of this," and then went below, and thinks Mr. Presbrey followed him part way down, but if he did he must have returned and been suffocated by the dense smoke that filled the room. He gave his life in trying to save the property entrusted in his care, and as a fitting tribute to him who stood fearlessly at his post of duty, even unto death, is eminently worthy of the highest commendations of all men. When every stick and timber of the large structure was being licked up by the fiery tongued flames and borne on high, casting a lurid light over all, it became evident to the people in general, that Charles H. Presbrey, the Superintendent, had been overcome by the heat and dense, suffocating smoke that filled the third story of the building where he was last seen alive. As this terrible news passed quickly from one to another, only sad, pale faces and clenched hands told of the keen anguish felt for the sad fate of their townsman. Yet through this trying ordeal, firemen and citizens stood firmly to their work, pouring upon the seething mass, one continuous stream on through the early morning hours, and as the rising sun, clear and bright, silently crept up the eastern horizon strong, sturdy men, wet and covered with ice, might have been seen with hose firmly in hand, slowly working their way through smoking embers and sissing castings. When about fifteen feet from the east end of the building, they discovered the remains of Mr. Presbrey, charred and burned beyond recognition. Near him was found his knife, and from one of his inside watch pockets was taken two $10 gold pieces wrapped in several bills, amounting in all to about $50, which, strange as it may seem, had not been damaged by the fire. The remains were tenderly removed from this ashen death bed and taken to G.S. Graves' undertaking rooms, where they were properly cared for. The funeral of Mr. Presbrey was held at the Episcopal church in Bainbridge on Friday afternoon, and was largely attended. Services were conducted by Rev. John B. Pitman, Rector. Among those in attendance were all the employees of the Gilbert Manufacturing Company, members of the Masonic fraternity of Binghamton, the former residence of the deceased, and a delegation from Fountain Four Hose Company, also of that city, to which Mrs. Presbrey belonged when a resident of that place. Business places and public buildings in the village were closed during the funeral, and a large throng of people accompanied the remains to their final resting place in the new village cemetery. It is stated that a life insurance policy for $5,000, carried by the deceased for a number of years, had lapsed one week before his death. The general opinion is that the fire was caused by spontaneous combustion. It is believed that the factory will be rebuilt, the citizens feeling a deep interest in it, as an important part of the business of the place. The company's pay roll mustered about ninety men and boys, and the amount paid them weekly was about $800, which was mostly left with the business firms in the village.
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