Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-02-24
Ritan & Co.'S Large Grist Mill
Destroyed by Fire.
SERIOUS LOSS TO BELDING
Fire Department Fought NObIy But
Were Unable to Conquer.
About Twenty-Five People Thrown
Out of Employment.

night and dealt very severe blow.
We have received a number of calls
from the unwelcome visitor in the past
seven years but none so far reaching
and so disastrous to the business inter
|, ests, although more property was
involved, than the burning of the E.
Rutan q Co. IS large Touring mill, bean
warehouse and elevator.
The fire was discovered by Lew Stod-
ard, night watchman at the Richardson
silk mill about 7:30 o'clock, who noticed
a bright light through the office win
dow of the the mil and on investigation
found the interior OF the Office all on
fire around the stove. ID. Delehanty
broke in the door and Immediately
flames burst out furiously and an alarm
was turned in. The fire department
got out as quickly as possible, but were
hampered by the great depth of snow,
and soon had several streams playing
on and into the building, but the
Hames had gained such headway that
water seemed to have no effect in stay
ing their progress. The fine particles
of dust from grinding, ever present in
| Touring mills, long lines of wooden
flour elevator boxes, feed and -four
conductors, and thickly placed ma
chimes fed the flames and soon the
whole interior was a seething mass of
fire which suddenly burst through the
roof, sending stream of flame high
into the air. The light of the burning
structure and the peculiar phenomena
produced in the heavens for several
minutes was seen by residents living
quite qomber of miles away:
ll~~-rrne ifs.fne or tie osd mill stbod burn
ing for some time after its covering
was reduced to ashes, so strong was it
constructed
The tiremen turned their attention
to saving the bean warehouse but it
was so exposed TO the terrible heat
from the mill that they could only keep
it under control sufficiently to save
the cooper shop and store houses for
which stood outside the mill was licked
up by the flames, but not however until
the books and portion of the furniture
was saved.
The mill was built in 1867 by w. A.
Knott at cost of about $4,000 He
run 1T ten years and sold half interest
to l.. M. Smith and the business then
went under the name of Knott &
Smith for number of years during
which time many improvements were
made. They sold third interest to l..
Rutan about ten years ago and IL was
given a thorough overhauling and an
addition of sixteen feet was put on top,
making it three stories in height.
This change cost about $40, 600. Mr..
Smiths share was purchased by Rutan
and MIR. Chapple took a sixth interest
and was made manager. In 1891
Rutan and Chapple secured MIR.
knott's interest.
Improvements have been made from
time to time since until it was consid-
cred one OF the best equipped mills in
the state for turning out fine flour.
Mr. Chapple estimates their loss at
$50 900 on which they carried an insur-
ance of SIS, 900, all but 81 900 of which
is in the Milers' Association Of Chica-
go. w. f. Sandell's agency carried
the latter amount
The company had on hand large
stock of flour barreled for Shipment,
two car loads of which were ON the
track which together with a lot OF wheat
rye and beans in the elevators went
IN the general ruin. The loss is "a
severe one and will fall heavily on Mr..
Chapple especially.
1t has thrown out OF employment
about twenty-five hands, eighteen of
whom were women and girls employed
in the bean elevator as bean pickers,
who will also feel the loss Of it keenly.
The fire undoubtedly caught from
the Office stove. The custom has been
on closing the mill at six o'clock to
leave a slow fire in the furnace and
stove.
There are a large number OF farmers
in this vicinity who had wheat tin
small and some large quantities stored
there, either for sale when they cared
to or for Touring purposes for the
household, on some Of whom the loss
will also fall. 1t is very doubtful if
the plant will again be rebuilt by
the company as gristmills Of its class
are not very profitable investments at
the present day since there is so much