Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1903-09-11
Mill of the Ramsey
Milling Company
Burned Sunday
Morning. Total Loss
of Plant and Con-
tents==Heavy Loss
Sustained.

One of the most disastrous fires
that has visited this city for some
time, occurred shortly after 2
clock Sunday morning, and com.
pletely destroyed the plant of the
Ramsey Milling company, and its
contents, with the bare exception Of
the books. The wierd shrek Of the
fire alarm sounded like the moaning
of lost spirit on the still night air,
and soon the citizens We're out en-
masse The fire department respond
ed without moments delay, but
when it arrived it was decided that
the burning building could not be
saved. and heroic efforts were made
to save the adjoining property. This
was done, although looking at the
situation after the fire, it seems i'm
possible to have done SO. Connolly's
bl .cksmith shop, wooden building
covered with iron, stood within few
eet of the burning mill, and escaped
with bad scorching and few
melted windows. The block occupied
by Prosser & Serumgard as ma
chinery depot escaped without any
injury The livery barn on the op-
posite side of the street was on fire
number of times, but was saved from
burning by heoric work. Three cars
1coInl ho1nrri,r n tho
Stolze Lun ber company, which were
standing on the sidetrack of the mill,
caught fire, and were moved to the
water tank where they were sidetrack
ed. and burn ID. A Chase separator
ana engine were on fiat car on the
same track, and the separator caught
fire and was ruined. This outfit was
consigned to P. Regan.
Fortunately the direction of the
wind was such as to carry the flames
away from the surrounding buildings,
toward the railroad, and this certain
ly saved large portion of the city
from destruction
The origin OF the fire cannot be de
termined, but was probably started
from spontaneous combustion. The
engineer had fire in the boilers on
Satul day morning, and was engaged
in repairing the engine, but not get
ing his repairs completed, the fire was
allowed to go out in the afternoon.
The machinery was not run at all on
Saturday. During that day the III II
was completely swept and c'eaned
but no trace of heat was discovered,
however. The first discovery of the
fire was few minutes after 9
0 clock. and then the flames seemed
bursting out in several directions.
John Cory who is night man at
the liverey barn, Immediately across
the street from the mill, locked the
front doors Of the barn between 80
and 3 O clock and saw no signs of fire.
When the first people rached the
scene shortly after the fire was dis
covered, nothing could be saved ex
cept the books. and one member of the
firm ran decidedly narrow risk in Sc
curing them, the flames following him
through the window as he passed out
The loss is supposed to be heavy one.
| The firm estimated the value of the
property at $14, 900, including book ac.
counts On thi there is total in
snrance of s., 45D, with probably 81,
900 of good accounts.
The insurance is carried as follows:
In the Powell agency-Home of
New York, 81, $40; Firemen's Fund of
San Francisco, 1890; Phoenix of
London, 81, $40; total, 1870.
In the Fisher agency-Queen, $1,2-
40; Niagara, $1,24o; Queen, on grain,
-four and feed only, $1,000; total,
50, 480.
The company has not decided
whether it will rebuild or not. This
is the second time the mill has burn
ed on the present location, and once
before on another location.
The fire company deserv es special
mention for their prompt and efficient
work at the fire Sunday morning.
Within five minutes from the time
of the fire alarm, they had the appara
tus on the ground and were throw