The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1895-03-25
KANSAS cITfS Loss.
Fire Breaks Out in Reds Pack
ing Establishment
And the Entire Plant Was
Destroyed.
A LOSS OF 100000.
Six Hundred and Fifty Men Out
Of Work.

KANSAS CITY, kan, March e5.-The
most destructive fire in the history of
Kansas City broke out at Gas o'clock
last night in Reid Bros big packing
house in Armourdale. Of all that mag
nifcent plant, covering fifteen acres of
ground and valued with its contents at
81, 900, 600, only three buildings were
saved Eleven buildings were de-
stroyed and the loss will probably ag-
gregate considerably over 81, 900, 900.
The cause of the fire is not definitely
known, but is said to have been an ex-
plosion of dust in the fertilizer works,
which formed part of the mammoth
''hog building" in which the flames
were first discovered. The fire swept
over the plant with terrific rapidity,
licking up the fat and grease-saturated
structures like famished monster.
The fire departments of both Kansas
Citys, Armour Packing Co., the Mis-
souri, Pacific railway and the Reid
Bros own company united in fighting
the flames, but owing partly to the poor
head of water and partly to the infam-
mabIe nature of the buildings contents,
they were able to accomplish but
little, and even that only by the hard
three hours of steady combat the
fremen gave up to the flames.
The immense brick storage building,
3OOx2O0 feet, four stories, containing
S1OO,0 900 worth of picked meats in the
basement alone and altogether repre-
senting $500, 600 Five ice houses,
frame, each sOOx125 feet, nineteen feet
high. The hog building, an immense
h Ia5.io1r c47
covering several acres and including
in its various wings the fertilizing
plant, the engine and boiler building,
an ice manufacturing plant, tin shop
and cannery. The saw mill and six
stories of hog pens and several other
minor buildings.
There were saved only the beef
building, two-story brick about 15Ox
100 feet, containing 5, 600 dressed beeves
and $780, 900 worth of canned meat; the
smoke house, four-story brick sOx4O
feet, and the Office building, a small
three-story brick.
The loss Manager WI. Reid estimated
at 81, 100 OO0-on the storage building,
$4,000; other buildings. $500, 600. This
is fully covered by insurance. The in
surance is divided among all insurance
packing houses. The principal com
pany is the Indemnity Exchange, a CO.
operative institution which is com
posed of eighty firms. It had $500, 900
on the Reid plant. AS nearly as could
be learned last night, the rest of the
insurance was divided among 100 COM
panies. These include various board
companies, s5OO,OO various Lloyd
companies, $3.50, 900; Individual Under
writers, $50, 600.
The fire will throw $50 men out Of
work, the majority of. them residents
of Kansas City, Kan. Their average
daily wages were 49, so, and the loss IN
minor trade channels is sure to be Sc
verely felt. However, the loss will be
but temporary, for Manager William j.
Reid said last night, while he was
watching the progress of the fire, that
the company would certainly rebuild
and at once. This will. of course, give
employment to a great numb Der of
workers, so that what is lost to one
class will be largely made up to an
other Mr.. Reid said that large force
would be set to work at once clearing
away the debris and preparing for the
rebuilding.