Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-02-14
CARLsDAD'S BIG FIRE.
The Beet Sugar Factory Totally Dss-
troyed by Fire.
THE PARTICULARS OF TIVE BLAZE.


| 'hh"pi,ahts vi CarlsDah, ana practic-
ally everybody In town turned ont
when the news spread that the big
heet sugar factory was burning. The
blaze originated in the iron warehouse
Just north OF the main building. which
was stored full OF a miscellaneous as
sortment OF innammable material
comprising a lot OF hay, corn, cotton.
seed and furniture. Before the fire
department could get to the scene,
this house was practically consumed.
and the main building was blazing at
the windows and under the caves of
the roof. The fire department. how
ever. cut no figure In its presence. as
the nearest waterplug was over three
blocks away and the fire boys did not
have more than 100 feet OF serviceable
hose. most Of IL leaking so badly that
II would not have thrown a stream
strong enough to have reached the
second floor, much less the third. In
which the fire was the fiercest Be.
sides. Il is very doubtful IL the / 100
feet OF hose. which is the sum total
'NPAf "Vhtu navy ituiHtu tDt Oi0Lf
by several hundred feet. The chemi.
cal engine was on the ground
promptly, but II was wholly in.
capable OF successfully combating
such a big confiagration However.
the crew bravely fought on long after
their task was hopeless, and until their
chemicals were exhausted, kept up a
futile stream on the fire.
Some hard work was done by in.
diyidual firemen. but the greater
part went for naught, the only sal.
wage being about twenty-five feet Of
one OF the beet sheds and small de.
tached shed on the extreme north
This preservation was due almost
wholly to the unaided efforts OF Albert
Ceavy, who -cupies the old scale
house as residence. little hard
work and a considerable expenditure
OF muscle would have saved practically
all of the beet sheds, but II was impos-
sible to secure volunteers for the labor
OF tearing down a section of them to
interrupt the flames, by depriving
them of food.
The loss was practically total one,
and approximates $i25,000. AS far as
known here. there was no insurance.
the local agencies refusing to accept
the risk after active work was closed
down. unless day and night watch.
man was employed by the company
to care for IT, This heavy expense
the company decided not to incur.
risking destruction by fire rather than
to incur the certainty of hundreds OF
dollars of annual expenditure The
owners are Milwaukee capitalists,
headed by Messrs. Uihlen and Muest.
hon. of the Schlitz Brewing Co. There
Is chance. however that these
shrewd business men have something
OF insurance placed with eastern
agencies.
Besides the loss on the factory II.
self. several local men lost various
merchandise. which was stored in the
warehouse, where the fire originated.
J. ID. Walker lost about a carload of
hay. Ramsey Bros. a carload OF cot.
ton seed, c. IL. Webster and ]. +.
Rarey small amount of corn each.
and II. +. Christian several hundred
dollars worth of household goods.
This loss Is a severe blow to this en-.
tire community. and II Is extremely
doubtful now If the beet sugar indus
try will ever be revived In this Sec
ton. The company contemplated re.
suming active operations In the near
future. probably next year; but now,
of course, 1t is highly improbable that
the Milwaukee people will invest fur
ther in an enterprise which has al.
ready cost them so heavily.
There is number OF important les
sons 10 be learned by the town auth
critics and citizens of Carlsbad from
this lamentable occurrence.
First. and foremost, the town trus-
tees should order at once-by wire, |
preferably. enough new hose to meet
any possible future contingency. and
hereafter see 10 It that the fire depart. |
ment Is at all times kept properly
equipped
Second, there was decided lack of
interest-and a total absence OF disci- |
f'''' 's'tfe''N ny th' Nh'h-
selves, the entire work at the fire fall |
ing upon handful OF devoted off, |
GERS and their personal following.
Lastly the business men themselves |
are largely to blame for the apparent |
inefiiclency OF the department A
more active interest should be taken
by them in an organization that ex.
lists chiefly for their protection; much |
more lberality should be shown in |
eQuipping the fire fighters. and II is
only by action along these lines that
the general apathy in the AFFAIRS of
the department can be overcome. II Is
only the united interest and work OF
all citizens that viii make a success of
any volunteer Are department. The
members rightly reason that II the
chief beneiciaries are indifferent TO
their own welfare. II Is still less to
them, who have little at stake, and
involving dangerous and arduous
work.
IN the eify traacurv oannof stand |