 Photo courtesy of Diane VanSlyke, Town of Madison Historian Early view of Mott's cider mill in Bouckville, looking south west across the old Chenango Canal. Buildings here had cobblestone foundations. |  Photo courtesy of Diane VanSlyke, Town of Madison Historian The 1853 wall map of Madison county shows "Woodhull & Forward, Distillers" on the west side of the Chenango Canal at this point. A news item states it was converted to a vinegar factory in 1867. |
BOUCKVILLE, Sept. 18 - [Special] The greatest fire known in the history of this village occurred here this evening, by which the largest industry in the place was wiped out. About 20 minutes before 6, smoke was noticed coming from the varnishing department of Mott's cider mills. The alarm was at once given and a crowd collected, but as there was no apparatus at hand, the flames spread with alarming rapidity.
The people became almost frantic and hasty appeals were sent to surrounding towns. Oriskany Falls, Hamilton and Morrisville responded, sending apparatus. The flames raged fiercely until nearly 8 o'clock, when they were gotten under partial control. At one time it looked as though the whole village would be burned, and the inhabitants rushed about the streets almost crazed.
At the lower mills, where the conflagration was located, there are several buildings together. The old distillery, now used as the mill, was a stone structure, about 40x150 feet in dimensions and two stories high. This was destroyed, with the engine house, cooper shop, storage cellar, varnishing rooms and smaller buildings. The factories were the largest in the United States, and in the cellars were 100 cells, each holding about 600 barrels of cider or vinegar. All the refining machinery was destroyed together with an immense quantity of barrels about the outside of the buildings.
Further destruction was only prevented by the efficient work of the firemen. About 40 men were employed. The property was owned by Hon. S.R. and J.A. Mott. They were unable to give any intelligent estimate of their losses this evening. The loss is variously estimated at from $30,000 to $100,000, half the amount being covered by insurance.
Richard Palmer blog.