The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-03-02
AN ELEVATOR DESTROYED
Van Dusen's Elevator Goes Up IN. a
Cloud Of Smoke.
With a Loss Of S25, 900, Fully In
sured--To be Rebuilt.

sured--To be Rebuilt.
G. w. VanDusen & Co.'s elevator,
on the right of way of the Northwest
ern track, went up in smoke last
Tuesday evening after nine o'clock.
With it went between 1900 and 13, 600
bushels of different graded wheat.
The loss on the building is between
$4,000 and $1,000, and the wheat is
estimated as being worth between
$1,000 and 5000.
1t was about $50 o'clock that Hugh
Green, en- route for his farm, south of
the city, saw blaze playing through
the window on the top ofthe elevator
He whipped his team down town and
gave the alarm, the latter almost sim
ultaneously with A. B. Truesdell, who
discovered it from the court house
square. The fire bell was started and
shortly the hose carts, in charge of
firemen were en- route for the scene.
A connection with the hydrants were
made as quickly as possible, but the
lire was in the extreme top of the ele-
vator and the tower pressure was not
sufficient to greet it. Soon the flames
forced their way through the roof, and
clouds ofrolling smoke preceded fierce
and roaring flames from all over the
top. The firemen turned their atten-
ton to.saving the coal and feed sheds
attached to the elevator, and in this
they accomplished heroic work, killing
the burning embers and sparks that
fell on the roof, and keeping the
flames Ffrom working through the
wheat bins into the sheds. It required
two streams of water to do this but it
was done in remarkably fine engi-
neering style.
Slowly the fire worked down from
the top. The roof fell in, and huge
mass of flames,spark and smoke arose
and lit the country for miles around.
Immense iron rods were heated and
twisted out of shape; huge timbers
fell at the feet of the pipemen, siz-
zling in the snow and slush, but
frightened the pipemen naught.
The immense chimney standing out
alone, fell gracefully, without strug-
gle, and 500 spectators witnessed the
fall. Hooks were placed at work and
the transfer shed was pulled down,
and ere the clock struck eleven the
elevator was mass of ruins, only a
timber burning here and there, and
wheat burning from under. On the
wheat bins the streams were kept at
work all night long, and morning
found them huge piles of steamin g,
smoking good for-nothing wheat. But
from them the fire never spread, all
honor to the excellent work of the de-
partment.
The cause of the fire is unknown.
1t originated in the top of the elevator,
where there never is any fire, and
henco the theory of spontaneous COM
bustion is advanced. This will always
be theory, however. supt. Caswell,
who was on the ground early, can con-
ceive no other cause. He was semi
Frustrated oyer the blaze.
The direct pressure was put on half
an hour after the first stream was
started and while it was magnificent
thing, it seems that it should have
been put::on quicker.
The building was constructed by
Will Brainerd twelve or thirteen years
ago end was sold to Van Dusen IL Co.
a year or SO later. 1t has been in the
constant charge of Supt. Caswell for
over ten years. 1t will undoubtedly
be replaced.
NOTES.
A stream was kept on the burning
grain all night.
Chief Buechner was omnipresent,
and directed the work in good shape.
Ten streams of water playing on the
elevator roof could not have sayed the
elevator.
Four thousand bushels of fax were
in the elevator. Flax is worth $1.O1