Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-18
BIC BLAZE IN SOUTH OMAHA
Omaha oooperage Oompany's Plant is
Burned to the Ground
LOSS AMOUNTS TO sKTY-FVE THOUSAND
Manager weIch hat Loss
f. Fully Covered by Insurance
and works VIII he Re-
buiIf Mt once.

Fire totally destroyed the Omaha Coop
erage company's works at Thirty-hfth and
1 streets, South Omaha. yesterday. The
loss will amount to s65 900, covered by in
surance. NJ. d. welch stated to newspaper
men that rebuilding would begin as soon as
material could be secured.
The plant was erected four years ago by
NJ. D.. WEIGH of Lincoln at a cost Of about
$4,000. Since that time extensive improve
ments have been made and others were in
contemplation. The main structure, built
Of brick, was $50 feet in length and fifty
feet wide and was three stories high.
It was shortly after 6 o'clock when those
living in the vicinity noticed that the whole
center Of the structure was on FIRE. Word
was sent to the South Omaha fire depart
ment and Chief Etter and three hose COM
panies responded as promptly as possible
Owing to the long run and the muddy roads
the hre had obtained a good Roadway before
water could be turned on.
Chief Etter said that he laid in LOO feet
Of hose and did his best to save at least a
portion Of the building, but the inhamma-
BILE material in the structure was too much
for him. at was the hottest fire l have
seen for a long time" said the chief, "in
fact, It was so hot that It was with diff
Guilty that we could get very near the walls
with pipe lines"
Roof and Walls Fail.
Shortly after the arrival of the depart
ment the roof fell In and soon after this the
walls commenced to come down. The east
center wall was the first to fall and the
hremen on that side Of the building had to
hurry in order to get out Of the way. Then
the south wall fell and a few minutes later
the west and north walls went down. Only
a small portion Of the walls and the corner
piers are now standing.
II is supposed that the fire started in the
dry room, but officials Of the company can
not throw any light on the subject. The
night Waterman evidently left the building
before the fire started for the reason that
those living in the vicinity turned in the
alarm and the Waterman was not to be
found about the premises.
BY the destruction of the works 100 men
are thrown out OF employment for a time.
At the rate the works were running 500
barrels were being manufactured daily, al
though the capacity Of the plant was 1900
barrels a day.
The burned building was filled with new
and expensive machinery. Only recently
the company installed a new 125-horse
power engine.
Some Of the material piled on the ground
outside Of the building and a couple of dry
ing sheds at the north end of the building
were saved, but this salvage will not
amount to much. The office records in the
safe are supposed to be all right. The safe,
however, lies at the bottom of a big pile
OF rubbish in the basement. Three streams
of water we're kept on the ruins all the aft
ernoon, extinguishing the burning embers.
Distribution of the Insurance.
The insurance on the cooperage works,
amounting to $67 500, was placed by H. E.
Palmer, Son & Co. in the following conf
panies: Continental, 81, 25O; Springfield,
$4,000; Fire association, $4,000; Western,
$4,000; Continental. $1,000; Phoenix, $1,000;
Aachen & Munich, $4,000; Phoenix, $1,000;
Hartford, $500; Underwriters, $4,000; Phe-
nix. $1,000; Phoenix, $1,000; Providence,
Washington, $1,000; L. & L. & c., $4,000;
Royal. $500; Springfield, $1,000; Western,
$4,000; Home, $1S,25O; North American,
$4,000; Niagara, $4,000; American Central,
$500; Western, 81, OOO; Manchester, $500;
L., L. & G., $4,000; Royal, $4,000; Home,
$1,000; American, $4,000; Atlas, $1,000; Fire
men Of Baltimore. $1,000.