Newport Waterworks Fire
Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 April 1908, page 10
NEWPORT
The Newport Waterworks Pumping Station located on the Kentucky side of the river, just below Ft. Thomas was practically destroyed by fire shortly after 10 o'clock last night. The loss will run between $15,000 and $20,000 according to superintendent William Glazier
The origin of the fie is a mystery for there was no fire in the boilers, the plant having been shut down over Sunday. The only way to account for it is that the Government light, that stands in one of the windows and reflects on a gauge so that passing steamboats can tell the state of the river, exploded and set fire to the structure.
It was shortly after 10 o'clock that Fireman William Houck, who lives in a small frame house 300 or 400 feet up the bank from the river, was awakened by the reflection caused by the blaze. He rushed down to the building, which is surrounded by the high river, but could do nothing to save the building.
There was no way of fighting the flames and all Houck could do was to stand and watch the fire destroy the plant. The flames burned down to the river's edge gutting the building to the stone masonry upon which the brick superstructure is reared.
In the meantime Superintendent Glazier and President Rehling of the Waterworks Commission of Newport, had been notified and hurried to the pump house. On their arrival there they made an investigation. A boy named Lampe, whose duty it is to light the Government lamp, told them that he had done so at 5:30 and that he had left the lamp in good condition and that there was no other fire in the building at that time.
The two Holly engines that were installed in 1884 and which had a combined capacity of 4,000,000 gallons daily, were totally destroyed. The boilers it is thought, will be saved, as they were in the stone part of the building and below the fire line. The heaviest damage was done to the pumps and machinery. These will be repaired or new ones got in their place as soon as possible.
The Newport reservoirs are full at present and there is no chance of an immediate water famine. The mains connecting with Covington will be opened up at once and this will keep any threatened famine at bay. The fire, which presented a spectacle to the boats on the rive and to the people on the Ohio side, will not be out before today.