Little Falls weekly transcript. (Little Falls, Morrison Co., Minn.) 1894-19??, 1895-03-29
LOSS OF A MILLION
Plant of the Reid Packing
Company at Kansas City
Destroyed.
HIGH WIND AIDS THE FLAMES.
Strenuous Efforts of Firemen
Unable to Stay Their
Progress.

KANSAS CITY, March 25.-At 6:30
o'clock a fire broke out in the hog build
ing Of the Reid Packing company 8
plant at Kansas and Railroad avenues,
Kansas City, Kan, and almost the en-
tire group of buildings was entirely de-
stroyed, causing loss of over $1.OOO,-
600. The following buildings were de-
stroyed: The S-story hog building, the
storage building, four stories high, tive
icehouses, the enginehouse and the
beefhouse. When the fire was discov-
cred watchman telephoned for the
Kansas City (Kan.) fire department and
a general alarm was sounded. The
flames spread over the top floor of the
hog building
With Incredible Rapidity,
the flames feeding on the meats and
oils Before the firemen had laid a
line of hose the roof had fallen in.
The flames from the hog building COM
municated with the enginehouse on the
south and soon wrecked the boilers and
destroyed the effectiveness of the COM
pany's fire apparatus. A disastrous ex-
plosion was narrowly averted by the
fremen who, at the risk Of life and
limb, rolled 20 barrels of gasoline from
the buildings. From the engine build
ing the fire spread to five 1-story ice
houses, each 2O0x125 feet. These were
rapidly devoured by the flames and the
4-story storage building, which was
right in line, fell a prey to the
Element of Destruction.
There was 100000 worth of meats in
the basement in this building. The first
floor was used as warehouse and the
second was filled with dry salt meats.
On the third were big hogsheads filled
with meat ready for shipment, while
the fourth floor was packed with dressed
meats. At this point the Kansas City
(Mo.) fire department. was appealed to
for assistance and six hose companies
and two engines responded. The water
tower from the Armour Packing COM
pany also assisted. At 7:2O o'clock the
south wall Of the hog building fell with
a crash. Flames burst over the bridge
connecting the storehouse with the
beefhouse and finally the beefhouse
caught fire and the firemen were power
less to stay the greedy flames as they
ate their way into the building through
the bridge. When it was seen that the
entire plant was in imminent danger of
Complete Destruction
more aid was called for, and the fire
force on the ground was turned to saw
ing the beef warehouse. In a short
time the building and the contents were
saved and then the firemen concen-
trated their efforts on the storage
house, which was burning fiercely. A
heavy wind coming up caused the
flames to burn with renewed fury, and
within 20 minutes the roof fell and soon
thereafter the south and west walls
toppled over. A 3-story smokehouse is
separated from the storage building by
80 feet, small 3-story building stand
ing between them, and this was soon
blazing. The wind veered to the east
before much damage was accomplished
here, however, and the building was
saved. At l0:45 the fire was brought
under control, but as heavy wind was
blowing, the firemen were kept on duty
to avoid any possibility OF the fire
cnroa6ino