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Library of Congress Old Mill Maintenance Department
The last working building of Union Manufacturing Company, circa. 1936. Demolished to enlarge Oella Mill
At approximately ten o'clock on the night of January 25, 1918, an exploding light
bulb set fire to the Della mill, and by the next morning the plant had burned to the ground.
An incident occurring during the fire is well remembered by Lorenzo France. Learning that
the mill was afire, and knowing that the payroll money was in the mill safe, Mr. France, an
office worker, hurried to the mill to retrieve the money. As he removed the money from the
safe the fire had reached the ground floor of the mill and was rapidly approaching the office.
Although badly frightened Mr. France did not retreat until he had removed the payroll
and closed the safe. Carrying the payroll, which amounted to several thousand dollars, to
his home, Mr. France then summoned the town's lone policeman to guard the money until
morning. Mr. France recalls that several weeks later, after the fire, the safe was reopened.
The interior of the safe had retained so much heat that when the door was opened,
admitting oxygen, all of the papers remaining inside the safe burst into flame. The
intensity of the heat, furthermore caused a loaded pistol kept in the safe to go off several
times. Fortunately, due to Mr. France's swift action in recovering the payroll money from
the burning mill, the employees were able to collect their week's wages the following day
when they gathered at the town hall.
Despite this disastrous fire, William A. Dickey, Jr. persuaded his father to let him take
over the task of rebuilding. Plans for immediate rebuilding were drawn up and construction began.
Overcoming such obstacles as building material shortages, created by World War I, which
was in progress, a new plant was erected. By July 4th, 1920, the new plant was completed
and resumed operations. This plant continued operating without interruption, from that date
until 1972 when the plant permanently shut down. Although the plant's production was somewhat
curtailed during the depression years, it never ceased operations entirely, but operated three
days a week with a reduced work force.
Now, that the industrial heart of this once prosperous town is still",!, one wonders...will
this quaint village disappear into oblivion as did ,he neighboring textile village of Daniels,
once known as Alberton?
The little town of Oella Shined brightly for many decades But the wheel of fortune turns slowly and its pristine brightness now fades.
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