Willmar tribune., 1909-10-13
FIRE CAUSES
HEAVY DAMAGE
Blaze Consumes Barn, Under.
taking Establishment and Lum-
ber Shed Loss about $1,000.

One of the most destructive fires
which ever visited the city wrought
damages amounting to more than
$4,000 last Thursday afternoon.
The blaze started in the Glarum
feed barn shortly after 2 o'clock,
and in a few minutes the entire
building was gone, together with
three horses, a team belonging to
Oliver Blomquist Of RoseIand. and
a third horse the property of the
Svea Mercantile company. From
the barn the fire jumped across the
narrow alley to the undertaking
establishment of I. c. Olson, and
this was also badly demolished. On
the south side of the barn the
flames attacked the P. E. Parson
lumber shed, and in short time
81 900 worth of hard wood lumber
was reduced to ashes. The barn
was burned to the ground, and the
loss is about $1,500. This will
probably be covered by insurance,
as P. H. Dahlstrom, proprietor of
the Glarum hotel, carries 81, 900 in
surance on the entire property. I
C. Olson was the heaviest loser, as
he carried no insurance. In all he
figures his loss at about $4,000.
Not only did he lose most of his
stock consisting of 100 caskets and
great deal of supplies, but he was
not even able to save his working
tools. He did, however, succeed in
getting out his sample caskets, and
these were later removed to the
building on Third street, formerly
occupied by the Ekander machine
shop. Here he has now established
temporary headquarters. He has
already started repairing his
building, and he hopes to have it
in fairly good shape in couple of
weeks. P. E. Parson lost about
81 900 worth of hard wood lumber,
and as he only carried $3.50 insur-
ance, his loss will also be quite
heavy.
The origin of the fire is not
definitely known, but it is thought
to have been started by a couple
of small boys who were seen run
ming away from the barn just as
the blaze was discovered. The struc-
ture was old and dry, and in less
than 20 minutes the flames had
burned it to the ground. A strong
wind was blowing from the south,
and pieces of burning wood were
carried as far as the Costello resi-.
dence north of the track where il
started a fire which for a time
threatened to destroy that struc.
ture. Help gathered quickly, how.
ever, and the fire was soon under
control, though the damage will
probably amount to more than $10O.
The awning outside the Tribune
Office also caught fire, but a few
pals of water soon put that out.
Under the circumstances it seemed
a wonder that the rickety wooder
structures north of Litchfield ave.
nue. were saved. Had the fire eve,
got start there, good deal o1
the business section from Litchfield
avenue to the tracks would nc
doubt also have gonessup in smoke
The fire department found a great
deal of difficulty in getting started
to fight the fire effectively. Some
of the hydrants were rusty and
were hard to open, and there was
also some trouble with the water
pressure to begin with. But wher
everything got in running order the
firemen were soon masters of the
situation. A good deal of the hose
was found to be pretty we'll worn
out, and this will have to be re.
placed at once, in order to insure
the proper protection for the city.
The fire was spectacular, the
flames shooting up as high as sc
feet at times. Hundreds of people
turned out to see the sight, and fo,
/ Il 4 L Al