Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1895-08-07
LUMBER YARDS SWEPT
Millions of Feet of Finished
Lumber Devoured by the
Flames.
BIG BLAZE AT MENOMINEE.
The Total Loss will Reach $500
ooo-Chief of the Fire De-
partment Injured.

Menominee, Mich, Aug. 1-[Special.]
Fire swept over thirty acres of ground
occupied by the A. Spies, the Girard
the Bay Shore and other lumber com
panies last evening, destroying property
worth nearly $5OO,OOO
The fire started late in the afternoon
in the lath pile of A. Spies, near the
mill, and spread with great rapidity
On every side rose the great piles of
lumber, and once the fire gained a start
the work of the fremen was well nigh
useless. In less than an hour the dis
trict covering thirty acres, on which was
stored not less than 100000 feet of
lumber, was a smoking and desOlate
waste. A brisk northerly wind famed
the flames, and several times it seemed
certain that the entire main street of
the city would be traverSed by the de-
strOyer. AS soon as the fire was no
ticed ii was seen that there would be
a hard fight, and help was asked from
Marinette, which responded Immediately,
sending machines and men over by spe-
cial train. Messages were also sent to
Oshkosh and Green Bay for help, but
they could not respond in time to be of
any service and the order was rescinded.
By what seems little short of a miracle
the mills of the company were saved.
Although they were surrounded for an
the plants in which are stored the val
liable machinery came out blackened,
scorched and married, but safe.
During the progress of the fire the
people on upper Main street were in
state bordering upon a panic. The fire
was already licking up the residences
along the lower portion of the street
and all the available drays and other
vehicles in the city were pressed into
service to save the household goods.
When it was seen that the lumber could
not be saved, the chief Of the fire de-
partment directed the attention of the
men to saving the houses, and the spread
of the flames up Main street was soon
checked.
Mr. Spies had no insurance while the
other two concerns were fully insured in
board companies The Match Stick fac
large quantity of stock. manufactured
and unmanufactured. All of it in fact
was destroyed, which will result i'm the
enforced idleness of their plant for the
remainder of the season. They had no
insurance except $1,000 on manufactured
stock. Their net loss IS probably $4,000.
The saving of the sawmillS was a fortu-
nate circumstance for the town as they
will be kept running the same as if moth
ing had happened. The extensive docks,
were also saved, which affords another
source of consolation connected with the
disastrous Ere.
Chief Kratz of the Menominee depart
ment cannot be too highly praised for the
efforts of himself and his men. Unfortu-
nately he. was severely injured after the
fire had been raging some hours and
now lies in bed at home under the con-
slant attendance of Il doctor. Wild ru-
mors of killed fiTemen and of parties sur
rounded by the fire were current during
the evening, but were mainly without
foundation Residents of upper Main
street and Jenkins street had the most of
their goods out of their houses and drays
in waiting ready to move in case the
emergency demanded. Crowds from
other portions of the town and from Mari
nette loaded the street ears down rushing
to the fire, which, presented grand but
terrible spectacle. To-day the locality is
still smouldering. and presents a very DESC
late appearance. 1t viii be many years
before the big, fire of the last day of July;
1895, will be forgotten.
Manistee, Mich. Aug. 1.-[Special.]-
The Daily News building burned this
forenoon! Tile loss is about $4,000; fully
insured.