Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-09-07
TIRE N S|OCKYARDS
Several Big Buildings Burn Rap
idly and Loss of a Half Mill
ion Dollars Results
ARMOUR q co. THE LOSERS.
Two Of Largest Buildings Of Company
Burn in Space Of an Hour-FalIns
Walls Injure Several Firemen-Ex-
pio.ions Scatter Embers-A Spec
tacular Blaze.

Chicago, Sept. with falling walls
crashing, heavy iron Orders twisting
in the intense heat into serpentine
shape, and the glare of flames visible
for miles, two of the largest buildings
of the immense plant of Armour 4
Co, at the stockyards became mass
of fire-swept ruins in less than an hour
last night.
SO spectacular as to rival the de-
struction of the great lard house Of
the Armour company in the stock
yards ten years ago, when the grease
red flames Illuminated the heavens
over almost the entire city, the fire
baffled for time the efforts of more
than two thirds Of the citys flame
lighting force, summoned by the inn
mediate sounding of a ALI alarm and
two specials !. by Marshal Burroughs
when he reached the spot.
Even before all the companies sum-
moned by the alarms arrived walls be-
gan to fall and all of one of the build
angs had collapsed. The structures de-
stroyed were the Woolhouse and fertil-
seer plant. Other large buildings in
proximity to the two We're saved only
thru the hardest work by the fight
ers.
The glare in the heavens brought
swarms of spectators from every sec
tion of the city. They came on every
train of the South Side IL. and sur
face cars arriving at the stockyards
were crowded until long after the fire
was under control 1t is estimated that
more than 100000 persons looked on at
the work Of the tfiremen. Inspector
Clancy of the stockyards police sta
ton detailed 100 policemen to keep the
crowds at safe distance.
Injury to firemen attended the fall
ing of the walls and the property
damage is estimated at 100000.
The fire was discovered shortly be-
fore s o'clock in the woolhouse-an old
four-story brick structure at Forty
d1fth street and Packer avenue-an all
most before the first company OF fire
men arrived the flames had spread to
the fertilizer plant, a comparatively
new building, adjoining Immediately on
the west.
The scene of the fire is in the heart
Of the stockyards. The buildings de-
stroyed covered an area of one square
block bounded by Forty-fourth and
Forty fth streets, and Packers ave-
nue. and Loomis street Immediately
sAdjosning, to the south. are the barns
of Armour & Co., and the packing
plant of Boyd, Lunham & Co., and to
the north are lard and butterine re-
tineries, while across Packers avenue
to the east is the CLUBHOUSE OF the Ma
tional Packing Company.
Fjromen Remove Dynamite.
For more than an hour these I'M
mense buildings were in danger OF de-
lstruction, and scores of streams We're
fdirected on them in an effort to keep
the flames from igniting the grease
soaked timbers. In every building Tor
blocks around were stored large guam
titles Of inflammable material, and for
q time Chief Koran, Assistant Chlef
Seyferlich and others in command OF
the firefighting. forces feared they
would be unable to check the spread
of the flames. Twenty cases OF dyna-
mite were stored in one corner OF the
fertilizer. which becomes. cal1ed in the
81 members of patrol 4, all of whom
risked their lives in the work
The explosive is used in loosening
fertilizer which becomes caked In the
huge tanks or bins. 1t was but mo-
nent after the men had taken the last
s Of the explosives from the building
that the walls collapsed. During the
progress of the fire the firemen were
Handicapped on all sides and in several
Instances narrowly escaped death or
severe injuries.
Explosions ccatter Fire.
On all sides walls were falling, show
ering tons of debris, and at Intervals
/ there were explosions which threw
showers Of burning material in every
direction.
Most of the dwellings near by are OF
frame construction, and for two hours
scores of men and women, who had
formed bucket brigades. carried pals
IS Of water to the roofs in an effort to
save their homes.
While the fire ragged II. A. Walker,
Insurance manager for Armour Geo,
communicated with J. Ogden Armour
at Lake Forest by telephone. He ex-
planned that the two buildings were a
total loss. Mr. Armour ordered a con-
terence of officials to formulate plans
for the immediat erection of a new
freproof woolhouse, to cost not less
than $500. 900.
Mr.. Walker said:
THE fire originated possibly from
crossed electric wires. This happens
to be a time when we had little stock
in the woolhouse, and the greatest loss
will be on the buildings. I believe a
fair estimate is $500,0O0, and we are
;,,c