The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1900-08-07
The kalispe Mill and Elevator Has a Narrow Escape
From Total Destruction Sunday Evening.
LOSS FULLY COVERED BY INSURANCE
The Largest and Most Disastrous Fire Which Has Visited
Kaispel for Many Years-Loss Between $4,000 and
$4,000 Sustained by c. A. Pep1ow & Co.

ent management have been in operation
about nine months, previous to which
time they were known as the Kalspell
Milling company.
The present company is composed of
G. A. Peplow, w. II. Hammond and G.
w. Fcnwick. These gentlemen have
made many improvements since taking
hold of the plant and when the fire oc-
CURED had about gotten things in shape
so that they could handle easily and ex-
peditiously all the wheat that could be
stored in the elevator, while the mill ca
pacity for turning out -four was the best
that could be found in the northwest.
The mill was fully insured the com
pany carrying $4,000 insurance, di-
vided between something like fifteen
companies, represented by G. II. Griffith,
W, H. Griffin and E. s. Bogart.
That the buildings were not burned to
the ground is miraculous, for it is the
history of such fires, even in cities where
the fire department is equipped with
every modern facility, that elevators are
invariably allowed to burn to the ground
and the attention of the firemen chiefly
devoted to saving adjoining buildings.
The damage is considerable, probably
amounting to between $15, 600 and $4,000,
chiefly on wheat, flour and the elevator
building.
That no accident of a serious nature
occurred is remarkable and at one time
it looked as though death would have
to be recorded when Mr.. C. +. Lane fell
from the roof between the second and
third stories while endeavoring to place
a ladder in position. A cry of horror
went up from the crowd as he was seen
to lose his footing and fall, still holding
the ladder, to the roof beneath, and will
ing hands were soon lifting him upon his
feet, when it was found that he had re-
ceived no serious injury. At one time,
when the pipemen were in the upper
story, it was feared that the east wall
would collapse and they were ordered
out of their dangerous position.
The fire smouldered all night and a
hose team was kept on duty to prevent
the flames from bursting out, and when
morning dawned the work of clearing
away the debris was commenced, prepar-
atory to rebuilding the structure.
This is the worst fire Kalispell has had
for long time and the people sympa-
thize with G. A. Peplow e. Co., for it
matters not that they were insured, there
is always a loss sustained by the bust
ness, such as losses by interruption of
trade and other causes which are not
covered by insurance policies.
The adjuster is expected here today or
tomorrow, when the full extent of the
loss can be ascertained.
There was between 5000 and 10000
bushels of wheat in the elevator which
Will prove a total loss. Flour, stored in
the mill and lower story of the elevator,
to the amount of several thousand bar
rels will prove almost total loss owing
to the delugc of water which was neces-
sarily used to quench the flames. The
machinery in tho mill is practically un-
injured. The names of the different
companies in which the plant was in
sured could not be ascertained, but as
the risk was divided between fifteen and
twenty companies, no one company will
suffer heavy loss.
Chief of the department, w. +. Mu-
lany, says the outsiders hindered the
boys by giving orders, which in the first
rush were obeyed, as the boys on the
building could not tell from whom the
orders were issued. This is too frequent
y the case in fires, over Jealous, yet
we'll meaning persons, often delaying
rather than assisting the firemen; yet as
such interferences are usually accredited
to genuine desire to aid in saving of
property, they must be overlooked.
There should be some method by
which, in cases of large fires, full head
of water should be turned on, for it was
apparent that the force was far below
the 100 pound pressure when water was
first turned upon the burning structure,
the stream scarcely reaching the second
story. After about ten minutes, how
ever, the pressure became noticeably
stronger and then the boys soon had the
fire under control.
G. F. Lane, the man who fell from the
roof, was knocked insensible, and it was
some time before he regained conscious
ness. He was sufficiently recovered