Watertown leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1909-1911, 1909-04-30
BOILER BURSTS;
BIG FIRE LOSS
1T FOND DU LAC
EXPLOSION AT PLANT OF WHINE
BAGO FURNITURE CO. DOES
100000 DAMAGE.
FIRE FOLLOWS FEARFUL BLAST
Flames Destroy Paint Shop and Spread
to Adjoining ProPerty-Shock
Breaks Windows.
BOILER DRUM CARRIED 2 BLOCKS.

FOND DU LAC, Wis, April 81
Especial J-Ihe warehouse and finishing
plant of the Winnebago Furniture COM
pany was destroyed today by a boiler
explosion and fire, the estimated loss be-
ing 100000 AS a result of the explo-
sion, every window in the courthouse was
broken. A portion of the boiler was car
ried two blocks, and in the fight cut off
an electric light pole
Watchman Badly Burned.
1t is thought that the explosion may
have been caused by cold water being
turned into the hot boiler. Ferdinand
Wust, Waterman at the plant for the
last ten days, was shoveling coal into
the frebox when the explosion took
place. lie was blown out through the
side of the building and was found later
on top OF q pile OF ashes. His face was
badly burned, his head cut in several
places and his hand fractured.
The losses are as follows:
BY fire:
Winnrbago Furniture company, $4,000;
Rogers x Brayton, $1,000.
BY explosion:
J. A. Borsack. meat market, 5000; c. r.
Burnton, residence, 500; Sales millinery,
$50; courthouse, $500; Sallade & Run,
drug store 500; Joseph Stem, grocery,
500; GOE ball alleys, $50: {. Armstrong,
SO; t. Strong, residence, 30; J. j. Green,
residence, $50.
Other losses ranging from 50 up to
$50 were also caused by the explosion.
Paint Shop Destroyed
The fire was at first confined to the
boiler room, but within Il short time
spread to the paint shop, totally de
strOying that structure in less than an
hour. y large sheet of flame shot fifty
feet into the air and across the street,
setting ire to residences in the neigh
bOrhood The heat Of the fire was so
great that several times the fremen
were forced to abandon the fight and re
tire from the vicinity of the cOnha gra-
zion. Assistant Chief Victor LumbIo and
Pipeman Irving Susan were caught be
meath falling wall, but escaped with Il
few minor injuries. Several other fire
men were injured by falling bricks.
The CrofOot lumber yard which ad-
joins the paint shop, was threatened
with total destruction for a time, but d
change III the direction Of the wind
saved the property. Burning brands
were carried onto the courthouse and
other buildings nearby and did consid-
cradle damage. The warehouse of the
Rogers q BryatOn company at the rear
of the paint shop caught fire about I
The force Of the explosion was so
great that parts of the boiler, bricks
and timber were hurled in all directions
The drum of the boiler was carried
over the courthouse and before it fell
knocked the upper part of a telegraph
pole through the top story of the Pick
grocery. All the windows within a ra-
dius Of two blocks were shattered by
the force Of the explosion. In the Hub
clothing store the entire window dis
play was overturned, but the window
was not broken.
Hot Brick Hits Sheriff.
Sheriff w. J. Seeve, who was in bed
at the time the explosion occurred, was
struck on the hand by a hot brick that
was hurled through his window. Many
other people had narrow escapes from
being injured by the flying missiles. The
explosion and fire attracted hundreds Of
people to the scene.