The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1895-03-29
HEAVY LOSS.
Destruction ofReid Bros. Packing
Plant at Kansas City.
Fifteen Acres OF Buildings DestrOyed-Loaa
Over One Million IOllars-Seariy
One Thousand Persons Thrown
-Ont.of Employment.

KANSAS CITY, Kan, March 25.-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
s.. 600, 600, only three buildings were
saved Eleven buildings were de-
stroyed and the loss will probably az
sCregate considerably over 81, O00.O
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 10 the infiam-
mable nature Of the buildings contents,
they were able to accomplish but
little, and even that only by the hard
est and pluekiest of fighting. After
three hours of steady combat the
fremen gave up to the flames.
The immense brick storage building,
5OOx2OO feet, four stories, containing
500, 600 worth of picked meats in the
basement alone and altogether repre-
senting $500, OO0. Five ice houses
frame, each COOKIES feet, nineteen feet
high. The hog building, an immense
rambling three-story brick structure
covering several acres and including
N it's various wings the fertiiiZing
plant. the engine and boiler building,
an ice manufacturing plant tin shop
and eannery. The saw mill and six
stories of hog pens and several othe
minor buildings.
There were saved only the beef
building, a two-story brick about 150X
100 feet containing 1900 dressed beeves
and $50. OOe worth of canned meat; the
smoke house, a four-story brick sex40
feet, and the Office building, a small
three-story brick.
The loss Manager WI. Reid estimated
ct 81. 100. O0O-on the storage building.
$50. 600: other buildings, $500, coo. This
IS fully covered by insurance. The in
surance is divided among all insurance
companies that will place insurance on
packing houses. The principal COM
pany is the Indemnity Exchange. 2 co.
operative institution which is com
posed of eighty firms. 1t had $500 600
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, $500, OO0; various Lloyd
companies, $3.50, goo; Individual Under
writers. $50,
The fire will throw ESQ men out of
work. the majority of them residents
of Kansas City. Kan. Their average
daily wages were $50. 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. tina;
the company would certainly rebuild
and at once. This will. of course. give
employment to a great number 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 F,
away the debris and preparing for the (
rehl,ildinr