The Redwood gazette., 1900-08-15
THE ELEVATOR FIRE.
There IS No Doubt Of It Being OF
lncendlary Origin.

western right-of way in this city,
between four and five o'clock last
Wednesday morning, an account OF
which appeared in GAZETTE extra
of last week, is still giving rise to
the query as to whether or not the
| VanDusen interests can success
fully own and operate an elevator at
this point, without having some in
sane fire -bug-a ire-bug whose pc
culiar insanity seems to be directed
against VanDusen-destroy it.
The fire was set on the south side
of the elevator. The evening be-
fore Agent CasweIl had finished
loading car of wheat, and had
pushed it to one side, and followed
this work up by placing an empty
car at the loading spout. This he
had cleaned out and 1t was made
ready for filing Wednesday morn
ing. The fire-bug. got between this
car and the elevator. which fur
nished complete screen. for the
purpose Of carrying out his de-
structive purpose.
It was about four clock when
Mrs. A. G. Dollih, residing inst
west of where the Bailey house
once stood, was awakened by the
smell of smoke. She arose and in a
moment asked Judge Dolliff to get
up and see whether anything was
wrong. The Judge thought every
thing was all right. A moment
later J. A. McGettrick was return
ing from a trip down town for a
physician for his sick child, and
Mrs. Dolliff seeing him asked him
| whether there was not a fire, and
Gus. commenced an investigation
that led to the discovery and the
turning in Of the fire alarm.
When Gus.i got to the elevator
the south side of the building was
in flames. When the fire depart
,ment arrived the entire elevator
was enveloped, as was also the
empty box car on the south side
With excellent presence OF mino
Gus had broken in the gasoline
store house and taken out the gaso
line, thus preventing an explosion
Doc Lyman, assisted by others
saved couple of machines stand
ing on the elevator platform.
Shortly after this the department
got coupling for thei purpose o
throwing water on the Engelhar
elevator. which was on fire in two
places. But the nozzle wouldn
work, and it took the fire depart
ment five minutes to discover tha
the hvdrant had been stuffed with
stone, and that the stone was in the
nozzle A stream was then got OF
the Engelhart elevator and it was
saved By this time the first ware
hose cart arrived, and a stream was
put to work on the Goudy Goa
house. which was also saved.
At five o. clock the Atlas elevator
was completely destroyed, and tht
big crowd out returned to theil
homes.
The company built the elevator
last August. 1t cost, complete
about $1,000 1t was OF 3O,OO'
bushels capacity, and there wer'
about 10, 600 bushels of wheat in i
at the time of the fire, all a tota
loss. 4 blanket insurance polio,
covered the elevator and grain con
tents. Mr.. Caswell lost quite a bi
of office furniture and some cloth
ing.
The first NanDusen elevator wa
destroyed at $50 o'clock on tn
evening OF Feb. %. 1898. It wa
not of incendiary origin, but seemed
to have started from friction of ma
: chinery at the top of the elevate
shaft The first elevator was th
: one erected by the late w. p Brain
erd and afterwards purchased b
! the Van Dusan Co. The latter i'm
mediately built a new elevator an,
this was destroyed at 2 clock Sun
day morning, Nov. 8. 1898, abou
nine months after the first was des
troyed. Mr.. Caswell believes tina
this fire was the result of an acci
dent The VanDusen Co. the
purchased the elevator of G. W
George, constructed by Q. p Whit
comb. This was destroyed abou