Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1899-02-22
SIX BLOCKS WIPED OUT.
Port Washington Suffers a Dis
astrous Blaze.
CHAIR FACTORY BURNS.
Three Firemen Injured by Falling
Chimney-Aid from Milwaukee
and Sheboygau.

Port Washington Wis, Feb. 90
Especial. This village was visited by q
disastrous fire last night and the large
manufacturing establishment of the Wis
consin Chair company and about twenty
five other buildings are now in ruins
Two fremen were seriously injured and
one may die
A little after o'clock last evening fire
broke cut in the fifth floor Of the Wis
consin Chair company's plant in the We
neerlng rooms. 1t rapidly spread through
the entire factory, which was soon a
mass of flames and which quickly COM
munlcated to adjoining buildings The
wallis Of the factory gave way and fell
onto the pumping and power station, dis
abllns that for service in furnishing wa
ter TO Quench the fire, and the only pro-
lection was the one small engine of the
local lire department, which was almost
poWerless to cope with the seething mass
OF flames, and the fire practically had its
own course.
Appeal for Assistance.
The mayor wired to Milwaukee and
Sneb0ygan as soon as he realized that
all OF the buildings in the vicinity were
endangered, and a Milwaukee company
and one from Sheboygan responded, ar
irving shortly before II o'clock. In the
meantime the people of the city were
rushing around wildly to rescue the con-
tents of the buildings in greatest danger,
and household goods were carried away
by WaGOnlOadS out of the burning dis
tflct. Farmers of the vicinity, who had
seen the hre from a distance, came to
town to give their assistance, bringing
their wagons with them, and later in the
night took home the people who had been
left without homes by the fire.
The Western Malleable & Grey Iron
works were soon reduced to ashes, hay
ing caught fire from sparks issuing from
the chair company's plant across the riy-
er Several small buildings belonging to
Smith Bros near the iron works, were
also consumed.
The greatest danger, however. lay in
the spreading of the fire to the north. as
that threatened to destroy the entire
business portion of the city. and a des.
perate effort was made to check tho
names III that direction, but they made
such rapid Roadway that there was no
nope of hlndering them with the small
streams that the fire department could
use If 1t had been possible to employ
the help which arrived later from other
cities at this juncture no doubt the fire
could have been confined to the small
buildings Immediately adjoining the chair
company's plant.
Firemen Struck by Falling Chimney.
While the Milwaukee fire company was
throwing a stream on the Neindorf build
ing large chimney fell unexpectedly and
caught three of the iremep. One es-
capped with only a bruise, but Michael
Hackett and Patrick Linehan were seri-
ously injured and it is feared that Hack
ett's injuries may be fatal
The Postal Telegraph company's Office
was destroyed, and the fire spread along
on Franklin street. destroying one place
of business after another. The Mifwau-
kee was working on the fire at this point
While the ShebOygan company was work
ing on Pierce street, where it succeeded
III saving the properly on the side of the
street opposite from which the fire had
got good start.
1t was not until nearly 8 a. m. that
the ire was gotten under control. In
that time 1t had wiped out all of the
buildings on Franklin street, extending
10 the lake and including the three blocks
from Wisconsin TO Pierce streets. The
large tannery, of which Mayor Miller Of
this village holds controlling interest.
was saved By the department, though it
had a close call; in fact most Of the
buildings on the west side of Wisconsin
street got off with only a severe scorch-
ing.
The contents of nearly all the build
lnSs were saved and the losses are prac-
tically all covered by two-thirds insur-
ance. most of the insurance being in the
West Bend Mutual Insurance company,
The loss of the Wisconsin Chair com
pany and the Western Malleable Iron
WORKS IS complete with about four-ffl his
Of the loss covered by insurance The
Malleable Iron works establishment was
not being used at the time. About 2
OOO,OOO feet Of hardwood and about 400
cords Of cordwood belonging to the chair
company were consumed. Most Of the
people who lived in the burned dwelling
houses were only tenants and, with
lew exceptions, these houses were TWEEN
ty or twenty-five years old and not very
expensive; They will probably not be re-
built until it is Il certainty that the chair
company will rebuild. as they were most
~ occupied by employees Of that com
pany.
The losses are as follows:
Mrs Martin, two dwellings 81 600
Louis Mehrens, brick building 2 non
NJ. FURNISH, two buildings. . 2 600
Feter Pouil' dwelling and blacksmith
NJ. Robb, brick bniding ;.-''''''',...' goo oo
Snn9 L4npert, Drlck building. 1000 |
smith Bros. fishermen. ...... 500 |
" Wde1,n Malleable and Grey Iron
I"d IN u Wester' foundry. ..--..... 1000 !
Ios o,u rNelnaorI, three houses. 1900
81 Y3oph ,ouiiolng ......... 500 |
Z, w ISSnt ia, cunning ::........... 200 |
=. " nosler estate building. ....... 900 |
i1ou az I HInpoio. building ........... 1000 |
~ g n11cnfoelns, building ZOO |
N N >; boue, Two buildings. .......... !, 200 /!
~, nu n,, Two buildings 1000 |
Joseph Gutenberg. livery barn COO |
Peter Becker, building .. 500 |
over twenty-five families have been
left homeless by the fire, but they have |
all been taken care Of The loss to the |
village is very heavy and it will take a |
long while to recover from it. If the |
chair factory is not rebuilt it will he y |
severe blow to the village and at MI |
events the burnt spot surrounding it viii ;
continue 70 remind the city of a disas- |
LrouS ire for some time to come.
Il. A. bennett, a state senator and tho
founder of the Wisconsin Chair COM
panys establishment, stated to Wis !