Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-10-01
.A DISASTROUS FIRE.
Riverside Dairy Farm Buildings
Destroyed Last Saturday
Morning.
LOSS NAY REACH s|0,000.00.
Horses Saved After Hard Fight
Department Distinguishes Itself.

One of the worst fires that has oc-
Cured in years broke out at the River
side Dairy last Saturday morning at
a. m. and before il was checked had de-
stroyed two barns, a grainery and an
ice house, together with their contents,
and inflicted loss of $4,000. Only
heroic efforts on the part OF the city
firemen prevented the FIRE spreading to
the house. The origin of the hre is
unknown, though it is thought tramps
may have caused it.
The FIRE was first discovered by Mrs.
Ross, wife of E ]. Ross, proprietor OF
the farm. She was awakened by the
barking of the dog, and seeing the lurid
light through the window got up to see
what the trouble was. Seeing the horse
barn in flames. she quickly aroused her
husband and sent in an alarm by teie-
phone.
Mr.. Ross rushed out 10 the barn IN
hopes of saving his horses. he was IN
time TO see two horses gallop out the
door, which was open, but was unable
10 get in to release three others which
were in the barn. as the barn was
seething mass of flames. The two that
escaped evidently did so by breaking
their halter ropes.
Although the engine house is nearly
mile from the farm. which stands II
the very west end of the city, the hre-
men made an excellent run, getting
stream of water on the flames seven
minutes after the alarm sounded. Wnen
the hremen arrived the flames had
soread 10 the big cattle barn adjoining
the horse barn. to the ice house ana 10
the grainery. The heat was SO intense
that the end OF the house nearest the
flames was beginning to smoke and the
air was full of flying embers OF hre,
which were lifted high in the AIR by
the suction of the heat and carried lar
and wide.
Seeing all hope of saving the barn
buildings was gone. Chief Fishbeck di-
rected all efforts 10 saving the house. 1t
was almost next to impossible to stand
in the yard west OF the house and get
near enough to play water on the names
The men at the nozzle of the hose hud-
died close to the ground and their COM
panion; kept them drenched with paiis
of water. But it was too much, and
Chief Fishbeck ordered quick change
~ the east side of the building, where
some protection was afforded from the
flames.
A hundred willing hands picked up
the FIRE hose and quickly carried It
around TO the opposite side of the house.
where the fight was renewed. Here
under cover of wet blankets and by be-
ING constantly drenched by buckets OF
water. the boys slowly forced the flames
back. At times the progress seemed al
most imperceptible, but foot by loot they
kept advancing, until the space directly
south and west of the house was cleared
of flames and the house saved from de-
struction. Too much credit cannot be
given the FIRE department, as men less
determined would have given up what
for quite while appeared to be an al
most hopeless fight
In the meantime Duser Peck got out
the old hose reel and at the critical
iuncture in the fight a second stream
was sent head-on against the wall OF
fame west OF the house, lessening the
danger from that source.
AS the fire was driven back 1t dimin-
ished as the main part of the two barns
was consumed. but streams were kept
on it until all source of danger was gone.
During the progress of the fire large
crowd assembled To those living at
distance it seemed as if 1t must be
Wright Hall. The lurid glare OF the
flames against the sky, the showers OF
flaming sparks carried hundreds of feet
into the air, and the squat, black, drip
ping figures of the fremen against the
foreground of the flames made pic
ture not soon to be forgotten.
For while fears were entertained tor
the adjoining houses and barns across
the road, but the roofs of these were
drenched with water and close watch
was maintained to see that no blaze was
started.
The origin of the fire is a mystery.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ross were out until ten
o'clock. and the former, before going
to bed. went into the horse barns and
satisfied himself everything was all right
1t is the commonly accepted theory that
tramps slept in the barn and accident
ally set FIRE to the hav.
The farm is owned by Mrs. A. w.
Wright, and was leased to Mr.. Ross.
There was about $500 insurance on the
buildings, which are total loss. Mr.