Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-12-17
THE CITY OF
RACINE SUFFERS
100000 FIRE
SIG PLANT OF RACINE MANUFAC,
TURING CO. IS DESTROYED
By BLAZE.
MILWAUKEE, SENDS AN ENGINE.
Members Of Chief Clancy's Force Relay
Racine Firemen and Suffer from
Blizzard and Blaze
FAMILIES FLEE IN NIGHTCLOTHES.

RACINE, Wis, Dec. 13.-Fire early
Sunday morning destroyed the plant Of
the Racine Manufacturing company and
several adjacent buildings, entailing a
! loss Of 100000. Frozen fire plugs and
inadequate water supply contributed to
make the fire the most disastrous expert
enced by the city in many years. En-
gincS were sent from Milwaukee and ke-
nosha, the fremen lending welcome relief
TO the local force.
For q while the fire seemed certain to
destroy the big plants of the j, L. Case
+ plow company, the Mitchell-Lewis Wag-
on company and the Klinkert brewery,
together with nearby buildings. AS 1t
WAS, the Danish Brotherhood hail, the
Peter Zinnin block, a saloon, boarding
house and the warehouse Of the Mitchell
Lewis company were burned, while four
teen residences in the vicinity were dam
aged to from $500 to $1,000.
Origin Not Ascertained
The fire, Of unknown origin, started in
the miIlroom of the Racine Manufacture
+ ing company and spread quickly to the
other five buildings comprising the plant,
in which were made piano stools and
automobile bodies. On their arrival the
firemen found the nearest hydrant frozen
SOlidly. When connections were made
finally with other hydrants the water
pressure proved inadequate.
Fire Marshal Cape's call for aid was
responded to by Engine company No. ~
and ten men under Capt. William Irot-
ter. who came from Milwaukee on spe-
ciaI train over the NOrth-We stern road.
On their arrival there were not sufficient
hydrants to which to attach hose SO the
apparatus was not unloaded, but the
haiDnH thp II apjnp tlrpmCn until =
O'clock in the afternoon.
The Racine Manufacturing company
employed 1900 workmen, all of whom
lost their tools, worth from $50 to $40
per set. Most of the residences dam
aged were owned by this company and
occupied by its employees This com ON
panys loss is$600,O0O. with S25O,OOO
insurance The main building was six
stories high, the others being four
stories high.
Firemen Suffer Much.
No lives were lost. The fremen suf
fered greatly from exposure in the biz
zard which was raging, and many had
faces burned and blistered from the fierce
heat which cast Il glare so strong that
newspaper could be read ten blocks
away.
Destroyed in the manufacturing plant
were 10000 piano stools and 5000 auto
i
greatly discommode number of eastern
and Chicago automobile plants, which
utilize this part of the concerns output.
The Sixth street viaduct was so badly
burned it will be out Of commission for
some time, and hundreds of telephones
and electric lights are useless because
of melted wires. The heavy snowfall
doubtless saved many residences when
blazing embers were blown upon the
roofs. As it was, families fed in their
nightClothes for fear of being caught i'll
the fire.
Strike Was Considered?
Some of the employees say there was
to be n strike at the factory this morn
ing, they having been refused an ad-
vance in wages, but a grievance commit
tee was to be appointed today to meet
the officers of the company.
The Racine Manufacturing company
has had remarkable growth and it was
organized III 1902 with a capital of $685.
900 under the name of the Racine Nov
city company. A year ago the company
amended its articles of incorporation, in
creased the capital stock to 100000 and
began the erection of four, five and six
story buildings.
1t soon became the leading factory of
the country in the manufacture of auto
mobile bodies.
All patterns and designs of the COM
pany have been destroyed by the fire, as
well as books and records, as there was
no opportunity to save any property.
Whether the company will rebuild its
plant is unknown, but it is believed it
will. The company has spent $4,000
property on which to erect factory build
ingS.