Omaha daily bee., 1908-05-19
AFFAIRS At SOUTH OMAHA
Fire Breaks Out Again in Ruins Of
Packing Plant Warehouse.
DESTRUCTION IS NOW COMPLETE
Thousands who visit Bellevue Caught
I'm DOwnpour ana Drenched-
Ones who Go 60 Fort Crook
More Fortunate.


Fred Gown, generai superintendent Of the
National Packing company Of Chicago of
which the Omaha Packing company is a
branch, and o. w. Christianson. general
superintendent OF construction, arrived in
South Omaha Sunday morning to do what
they might to save the rest OF the burning
warehouse and the nearby buildings.
II was evident before dawn Sunday morn
ing that the building was to be total
loss The fire broke out at a. m. and
burned with as great fierceness as at the
first conflagration. The three upper stories,
parts of which were left until midnight
Saturday night, all went down. This hap
pened in spite Of all the thousands of bar
rels Of water which were hourly poured
upon the flames. Another section OF the
wall fell Saturday night and after it gave
way the caving of the walls occurred at
intervals all day Sunday. At noon a large
section of the east wall fell on the engine
room and narrowly missed the ammonia
cempressors. II these pipes had been broken
there would have been no living near the
plant until the fumes had dissipated. John
Anderson, the master mechanic OF the
plant, knowing the danger. ran and jumped
off the roof of the engine room where he
had been standing to the roof of another
building. The jump was pretty high and
he sprained his knee severely. The efforts
Of the firemen were then turned to break
ing down the rest OF the tottering wall be-
fore such an accident should occur. All
the pressure of the engines and the mains
was put upon the big hose at the east side
and the stream was played upon the wall
at the highest point first, a distance Of
nearly 100 feet. The water gradually
crumbled the wall from the top without
damage. The same was done for all the
walls, except where they could be safely
RACED by other means. On the west wall
Jack Connors, who has not had his shoes
off since the fire began, rigged up bat
terng ram of 2x6 plank which proved ef-
fectual. A breech was made through which
a rope was passed over the top and the
crumblng wall was pulled down.
Big Crowds on street.
Yesterday was a great day for crowds
in South Omaha. Twenty-fourth and
streets was a solid mass of people from
7:sO a. m. until the deluge of rain began
at 6:45 p. m.
Everyone in the two cities wanted to go
to Bellevue and 2O,OOO or more succeeded
The Interurban line ran nine cars, three
cars together, and every car going and
coming, was packed to it's utmost capacity
When the storm clouds began to thicken
toward evening the crowds coming down
refused to get off at Bellevue and Fort
Crook and until the rain began to fall
thousands waited vainly for cars back to
Omaha. They struggled furiously at times
to force their way, but only the strongest
and those just at the lucky point had any
chance at ali. The trainmen could do lit
tie but be patient and run their. cars
carefully as possible. The last car to leave
Bellevue before the deluge, had some boys
on the roof. If anyone was ever soaked
more thoroughly he must have Jumped
in the lake" When the car stopped at
South Omahe rthe cutters were a foot
deep with muddy water Women ran
splashing through it to the nearest shell
ter, The women were good natured, how
ever. and as soon as they had time to
turn about they watched the sufferers fol-
lowing.
The flood Of water pouring down RaN-
road avenue, over a foot deep on the car
tracks, stopped the cars for half an hour.
There was considerable confusion in switch
! ing during the rain. The people at Fort
| Crook were more fortunate than at Belle
vue, for there they retired to the barra acks
of the soldiers and found shelter until
the worst was passed. At Bellevue many
were caught where they could find no
| shelter President Wadsworth's house
was thrown open TO the visitors as we'll
| as the other houses near the line. Some
! found refuge in the college buildings Many
we're not a little alarmed after witnessing
the recent devastation, when the clouds
rolled up so black and threatening
| 1t Is believed that the visit of the people
| to Bellevue will bear much fruit In the
way of relief Small subscriptions of the
! common people will raise the funds Il
1 once convinced their aid is needed.
The same feeling prevailed at the meeting
called for yesterday afternoon at the city
hall The attendance was not large, for
everyone at that hour was trying to go to
Bellevue to see for himself
Estimate of Loss.
For the first time General Manager H.
s. Culver appeared willing to talk on the
subject of losses. He said: THE loss of
| the burned part is now complete. We will
not be able to save anything. You may
say that the loss of the Omaha Packing
company will be about 100000 fully COW
cred by Insurance. The loss of the Cudahy
Packing company will be considerable, but
prefer you should secure the figures from
them Their meat was stored on the south
side OF the warehouse In the freezer. The
| officials who have arrived from Chicago
will direct the future of the old plant"
NJ r. Murphy. general manager for
Cudahy & Co., stated that their loss would
| amount 10 fully Sl80OOO properly covered