Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1901-08-29
FLOUR MILL BURNED.
The Russell.MiIler Plant Destroyed
by Fire. Lightning the
Cause.
Mill Was an Old Land Mark in the
City and Was 25O Barre!I
Capacity.
Little Grain Stored. Insurance.
New and Modern Mill to Be
Built.

About4o clock Tuesday morning dur
ing severe thunder storm, the mill
building of the Russell Miller Milling
CO, was struck by a bolt Of lightning
and the mill and the 10000 bushel ca
pacity elevator adjoining, were COM
pletely consumed by the flames. An
alarm was turned into the electric
light plant some minutes afterwards,
and the big whistle soon had the town
aroused and people hurried to the fire
from all directions. Night Watch
man KuleWatZ, who was in the mill
at the time Of the storm, was knocked
down and thinks he remained uncon-
scious for some little time before he
could get out to the street and give
the alarm, which he did, running to
the Arthur Miller residence nearby.
There was hose attachment in the
mill connected with the engine room
but the flames gained such headway
that it was not used. The mill had
not been running for some weeks and
had been receiving some extended re-
pairs. Those were just about COM
pleted, and it was the, intention OF
Manager Chapman to start up the
mill for the new crop of wheat in a
few days.
The lightning struck on the west
side of the building and the fire was
well underway before it was made
known to the engineer at the electric
light plant where the alarm was sound
ed. The elevator screened the fire
from sight of persons in the city at
first. The fire companies were on
hand promptly but it was a long dis
tance to get hose from the hydrant on
5 tn avenue and the efforts Of the fire
men to put out the blaze in the mill
or elevator we're at once seen to be
unayailing. Their work was confined
to saving other property which was
done, as both warehouse and the small
barn near by were saved, although
about 100 cords of wood that had been
unlOaded short time since were part
ly consumed. There is nothing re-
naming of the well known milling
property but the stone engine room
and the smoke stack. The elevator
burned with hot blaze and burning
shingles and sparks were carried sew
eral blocks distant.
There was but little wind and that
was from the southeast, unfortunately
carrying the flames directly toward
the elevator. The latter building
made fine sight as the flames leaped
from the roof and sides. The smoke
mounted to the heavens and the long
tongues of fire reached out with
greedy force for other material to feed
the flames. The walls Of the elevator
fell with a grand rush of sparks and
smoke and the mill frame fell
soon afterwards while all the expensive
machinery had gone to ruin in
few minutes and fallen to the ground
in a red hot heap. The heat from the
fire was so intense that spectators had
to remain at a distance of over block
from the fire. The storm was short in
duration but the electricity was plen-
ty in the clouds. There were several
very sharp strokes and loud peals. A
small amount Of rain fell which no
doubt saved some other property from
burning, as the sparks fell clear to the
north side of the railroad track 10 or
Is blocks distant. Several people re-
mained at home to look after their
property which was in danger from
the sparks.
The fire alarm was made known
about 20 minutes after 4 O'Clock. The
same bolt that fired the mill also cut
the telephone wire and the instru-
ment IN the residence Of f. Andre,
on the same line, was cut out and a
ball of fire filled the room for an in
slant. There was no means Of COM
municating the,news of the fire except
by messenger and young Dorman
Waterman ran to the Gladstone and
gave the alarm to the electric light
engineer.
Andres team was the first to reach
the fire with hose carts and fire appar-
atus, but it was long run for the men.
A good deal of wood piled near the
elevator, was saved and three freight
cars which were standing on the side