Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1907-08-09
WESTFAHL FILE CD.
PLANT TOTAL LOSS.
BURNS AT EARLY HOUR AND DAM
AGE TO BUILDING AND
STOCK is $4,000
FIRE OF MYSTERIOUS ORIGIN.
Neighboring Buildings Are Scorched BY
Heat-Oil Barrels Explode
Danger Is Great.

MILWAUKEE, Wis. Aug. Ga
fire of mysterious origin completely
destroyed the plant of Frederick West
fail Il Co.'S file works, Thirty-frst and
Cherry streets, at an early hour this
morning, causing a loss of nearly 500
900. The blaze was not discovered un-
til the flames had spread to every part
of the large frame building, and it was
impossible to check them before the
plant and its contents were consumed.
The fire broke out shortly before >
o'clock. 1t started either in the engine
room or the hardening room near one
of the FORCES. The night Waterman in
the Wells q Schmidt Pottery works
across the street was startled by the
sight of flames and dense volumes of
smoke rolling from the roof of the file
works, and turned in the alarm. Another
alarm was sent III by one of the neigh
bers who was awakened by the terrific
heat which the fire caused.
Neighbors In Danger.
There was little wind OF the fire might
have spread to the other buildings in the
neighbCThood. Those who awoke during
the excitement of the early morning
hours saw the smoke and flames curl
around the roof of the building and dis
manufacturing plant of Otto Zarlin on
Thirty-hrst street and in the pottery
works cracked under the heat, and Il
team of horses which was driven past
the burning building were scorched.
The fire department responded prompt
ly to the first ALARM and a second alarm
was soon turned in. The flames were
under control at O'Clock, but it was not
until 6:3O this morning that the last
spark had been extinguished The plant
consisted of one large one story building.
1t was constructed of wood. and fell IN
easy victim to the flames. The engine
and boilers were enclosed by brick walls,
and it will be possible to repair them so
that they can be used again.
The fire department directed its efforts
to the office when it was seen that the
rest of the structure could not be saved.
Many of the books and papers were
scorched, but the valuable ones were
found intact after the fire Large grinu
stones over eight feet in diameter were
cracked by the heat and rendered use
less Valuable forging and twenty eight
cutting machines were damaged almost
beyond repair.
File Stock Total Loss
There was large stock of files in the
building, and these were destroyed. The
company had been kept busy in prepar.
ing to fill the orders for fall delivery,
and the fire comes as an especially hard
blow at this time The large grind
stones were cracked like so much chalk,
and it is not likely that there will be any
salvage. The large steel smokestack fell
with crash about 4 o'clock, but it fell
toward the south, where there were no
other buildings.
During the fire several large tanks Of
lard oil and kerosene exploded, raising
parts of the machinery and blazing en-
bers into the air. A large pile of soft
coal stored near the engine room ana
boiler house was saved by the firemcn.
I'VE estimate the loss at $4,000"
said Mr. Westfahl this morning. Our
insurance is $4,000, and as soon as it
has been adjusted we will begin the re-
lease on a downtown plant, and we
will occupy it temporarily. The corner
here is especially suited to manufacture
ing files Every machine must be placed
near the light, and we will construct a
modern factory after we have adjusted
the loss and insurance on the old one.
Built Nineteen Years Ago
at is impossible to ascertain how the
fire started There was fire beneath
the boilers, cut that could not have
spread to the m-in building. Coke was
first street side but we have never had
any trouble with them. Those are the
only two places where there was any
fire during the night. | left the office
last evening, and everything was in good
shape AT that time
The plant was erected nineteen years
ago. few years after the file manufac
turing business was started. The mem
bers of the company are Frederick West
fahl and Abraham Esbcnshade, the for
mer being the president of the firm and
Mr. Esbenshadc looking after the Office
work The company is not incorporated
Sixty men were employed, the majority
of them being experienced hands. They
will be giNen emploNmcnt InSt as soon as