The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1906-05-25
ESTEY FACTORY A IN RUINS.
Fire Causes Loss of 5000. 600
Question of Rebuilding Not Settled
City Must HeIp-Acton Urged at
Citizens Meetins-vauIts Opened
and Contents Found Unframed.

| lily MUST f1eIp-ACtion urged Q
Citizens Meetins-vauIts Opene
and Contents Found Unframed.
The big Estey Factory A in this cit
lies in one great mass of ruins. And
with but fragments of the walls an
those at the corners remaining stand
ing, and with chance for the eye t.
sweep through from end to end, tn
extent of space covered by this mos
famous of Owosso's factories impresse
the onlooker as never before. Not
Fvestige of the factory except mere frag
ments of wall, the smoke stack, and tn,
almost puny looking vault wherein tn,
books of the company were placed, re
mains today. And it was only by the
most determined and continued efforts
for hours that the big dry kiln on the
west, itself representing valuation OF
approximately $40, 900, was saved from
the flames. Still further west from the
factory, beyond the dry kiln, the lum.
ber yards were saved intact.
The fire appears to have started some.
where in the south part of the main
building on Washington street It's
origin is completely shrouded in mys-
terry. 1t was first seen by a passaerby
coming towards Washington street,
down Corunna avenue. The flames and
smoke seemed to come from the base
ment windows near the south end of
the building. An attempt was made to
turn in the alarm from the fire depart
ment box near the company's Office but
the box was found to be out of order
and valuable time was lost in conse-
quence before the department could
find out where the fire was. About the
same time that the alarm was finally
communicated to the department the
factory watchman had been found and
informed of what was taking place in
the part of the factory which he had
visited and found all right but short
time before. Then Immediately after
the blowing of the water works alarm,
the big whistle of Factory A blew its
long dreaded alarm and the entire city
knew that fight which it had feared
for many years had come at last.
By the time that the fire department
had got to work it had become practical
ly impossible to save the middle build
ing in which the fire started. But q
short time seemed to elapse in fact be-
fore it had reached the elevator shaft.
and IN what seemed to the spectators an
incredibly short time it had burst
through the roof and was pouring great
volumes of smoke and flame from it as
we'll as from every window on that side
Of the building. Walls and floors began
to crash down and the terror of the
situation began to strike home to hun
1reds of those assembled on every side
to watch the unequal fight. Great
cinders rained down in showers, and,
with the smoke, and heat, drove the
crowds back farther and farther. In
the company's offices, but newly re-
and refnished at considerable
expense the officers of the company and
office employees had been hard at work
removing desks and records, the greater
part of the latter however being placed
IN the vault which was supposed to be
proof against fire which might con-
pletely destroy the rest of the plant.
At the same time however it was fully
believed by those responsible for the
placing of the books in the vault that
he fire would be checked before it
'eached the offices.
There were two reasons for believing
hat the fire would be checked with the
oss of the south building only, and
hese two reasons were two strong fire
walls. The belief prevails that had the
'resence of these walls been properly
AIKEN advantage of from the beginning
f the fight, leaving the south building
o the fate which was already sealed for
t, and concentrating the lighting at the
re walls, the machine building at the
orth. together with the offices between
he two buildings, might have been
aved, and with it question for the
ity Of Owosso which would be worth |
nany thousands of dollars to it today.
allure to grasp the Importance of this
ction on the part of some and failure
n the part of length after length Of
ose attached to the big Mott engine |
fter it was in place and ready to pour
ts big streams from the river onto the |
together were reponsible for |
he loss of the big machinery building,
he offices, engine room, and nearly |
anne being responsible for the loss of |
he kilns as well. Instead of having |
rom four to even six streams from the |
ig engine, it was fully a half hour be- |
ore one line of hose which would stand |
he pressure was finally attached to the |
ngine and a stream which could be re-
ed on was in play on the west side of |
he factory. BY about this time, too,
he Corunna fire department had ar
ived with its engine and its fight was
lso made on the west side of the fac
Dry wherei the problem soon became
,erelv that of saving the dry kilns.