The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-01-18
CHAIR FACTORY BURNS.
FIREMAN'SLIFE SACRIFICED

Fire Saturday night totally destroyed
fhe large, two-story brick factory build
ing, with contents, of the Wisconsin
Chair company, one of the largest in
dustries of the city. John p. Hall, n
member of the city fire department, was
caught under the falling walls and
fatally injured. lie was speedily ex-
tricated from the debris (by which he
wall of the structure felD and was quick
ly taken to the hospital, where it WAS
found that he had suffered Il bad wound
in the head, sustained a fracture of his
leg at the knee, had his face badly burn
ed, his arm and shoulder injured. and
suffered internal injuries. He expired
Sunday evening ut 7:3O O'clock death
resulting from the internal injuries he
had sustained.
Because of the close proximity of the
tanks of the Standard Oil company, the
city was threatened with one of the
worst contlagrations in its history.
The fire started shortly after o'clock,
but it was not discovered until 93O,
when an alarm was turned in. The
entire force from both stations of the
fire department Immediately responded,
the South Side division being the fist to
reach the scene. The fire fighters of the
North Side arrived II few minutes later.
For time it see med that the heroic
efforts of the tiremen would result in ex-
tinguishing the flames, Bnt about 800
o'clock several barrels of benzine that
We're stored in the basement exploded,
and soon after this the entire building
was enveloped in flames. Within an in
credibly short time the roof fell in, and
then sections of the walls began To totter
and fall.
1t was when section of the north
wall fell that the fat accident occurr-
ed.
The building contained much furni
ture ready foi shipment, and IL large
quantity in process of construction. The
machinery was valued ut $40 900, while
the lumber in the dry kiln adjoining the
building on the south was valued ut
aboni $40, 900, which lumber together
with the kiln, was also laid in ashes
The factory bnilding was valued at
$50, 600.
The property loss is partly covered 10y
insurance.
The concern employed i6S men, most
OF whom aio noN out "a employment
The men lost all their tools. The origin
of the fire is not known.
The plant of the Manitowoc Aluminum
Novelty company, which is in the ad-
joining block, had Il narrow escape. Its
force of 100 workmen turned ont to save
the building.
When the firemen saw that the Chair
company plant could not be saved, they
directed their efforts toward the oil
tanks which, it was evident, would
mean destruction TO many buildings in
the vicinity, should the tanks become
ignited. Fortunately but gentle wind
prevailed, or it would have been i'm
possible to coniine the flames to the
large structure in which they were rag
ing.
The building that was reduced to
ashes had Deen recently purchased 10y
the Cartwright Madison Glove company,
which concern was to occupy it for its
glove factory and tannery by May lst,
1906. The chair company's business had
also been recently sold to Fred bennett
of Sheboygan, who intended to remove
the business to Buffalo, New York, The
burned structure will he rebuilt by the
Glove company.
The tiremen remained on the scene
until Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock,
when the ruins We're abandoned.
Hundreds Of people witnessed the rag
ing of the flames Saturday night, and
probably upwards Of IL thousand visited
the scene on Sunday.