The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-03-24

paratus of the Prospect department
gave out and 1t was with great diff
Ificulty that the bucket brigade sue
ceeded in coraling the fire.
The National MILL owned by John
ID. Owens, Clifford Owens, of this
city, Frank Robinson, of Prospect and
|J. w. Jones, OF Columbus, was val
ued at about $4,000. 1t contained
about $1,000 bushels Of wheat besides
several hundred barrels of flour The
wheat was a total loss, while nearly
all of the flour was saved, there hav-
ing been nearly two hundred barrels
taken from the burning building. The
total damage will not exceed 100000.
| The fire broke out shortly after the
mills had shut down for the day. 1t
originated in the cupola of the third
story and soon the entire building
was in flames. Elmer Wyatt, engi-
neer at the plant first noticed the
flames creeping from under the cup
ola roof. Hurrying to the hotel
across the street he informed the pro-
prietor w. A. Smith, who immediate
ly called the fire department.
I Despite the fact that the Prospect
fire lads best convenience was a
hand pump and small chemical wag-
on, s. l.. Wottring, chief of the brig
ade, rallied his volunteers about him
and the Union mills and the home OF
Frank Robinson and other nearby
properties were only saved by their
heroic efforts.
| When the fire was at the hottest
Ipoint, and threatening at any minute
i to ignite the Union mill plant, locat-
ed directly across the Hooking Valley
tracks, the pumping apparatus of the
Prospect department gave completely
out Chief Wottring then sought as
sistance from Marion. The local fire
department received the call about
$50 o'clock. Alarm No. 45 was
sounded and soon every volunteer
fireman in the city was on hand. The
fire engine and chemical wagon were
loaded on a Hooking Valley flat car
and wild ride to the scene of the fire
resulted. When the local department
ARRIVED, the building had fallen in
and the greatest danger of the fire
spreading was past
The Marion department placed the
fire engine into commission about s
o'clock and before 10 O'Clock had the
fire under control, The Prospect cit
liens were well Impressed with the
excellent manner in which Chief Nc
Farland handled his men and the cit
izens' only wish was that Marion
could only have been on the scene
from the first
I There was plenty of excitement
both in Marion and Prospect. When
the Marion department was called 10
the fire, the report spread through
out the city that the entire town OF
Prospect was burning. AS result,
Hooking Valley passenger train No.
36 carried nearly four hundred Marion
passengers TO Prospect. Practically,
every man, woman and child OF the
suburban town turned out to witness
the big blaze.
The Marion fire department arrived
home about 12 o'clock last night.
The greatest difficulty experienced
was unloading and re-loading the fire
engine at Prospect. There was no
track pit and they were compelled to
run the heavy engine from the car
on planks. There were no accidents
whatever, and the trip was a memoir
able one for the local fire lads.
In AN interview with Mr., John d.
Owens last night, the Mirror reporter
was unable TO learn definite figures
regarding the amount of insurance he
stated however, that the building
and machinery was largely covered by
insurance. while the wheat was prac-
tically a total loss. "This fire seems
"a serious misfortune" said Mr.. owens
MONDAY night. 1--WE just received a
letter Monday morning from whole
Isale flour house TO the effect that It
would handle the entire OUTPUT OF
the mill. II seems as though we
were just getting the business to the
lpoint where we wanted II when this
misfortune befe, u.s." concluded Mr..
IOwens.
The mill was one of the finest OF
It's size in the state. Ii was equipped
with the most modern machinery
1t had capacity OF 200 barrels per
day and contained storage elevators
with capacity for nearly 10000 bush
els of wheat Last year alone the
,mill ground 10000 bushels of wheat.
l'rank Robinson, OF Prospect, was
manager, and his excellent business
Judgment had placed the firm In con-
ldition for carrying on large busi-
ness.
The stockholders have not expressed
themselves regarding the matter OF
rebuilding, but 1t Is probable that a
new plant will be constructed on the
site OF the ruins
The cause of the fire is not known
and perhaps never will be. Mr..
) Robinson says that he was over the
{, entire mill before closing down Mon
day evening, and everything was
: seemingly in good condition
1 - 49, n a..l