Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1910-02-11
Pine TREE HAS A FIRE

Planer Damaged and Sheds
and Lumber Destroyed
Loss $4,000
The Pine Tree Manufacturing COM
pany suffered heavy loss to its plan:
ing mill and lumber sheds early Tues
day morning by fire which it is
thought originated In the shipping
department extension to the planer.
the cause of which remains mystery,
but IS thought to have been from
crossed electric wires.
e The company watchman, a.. j.
Blcmgren, who was patroling the east
side lumber yards, is said to have been
the first to discover the blaze and
notified the watchman, H. h. Piers0n,
on the hillside of the river. The.
latter had passed the planer on his
round at 2 10 and noticed nothing at
the time A general fire alarm was
turned in to the fire department at
2:45 a. M, which was responded to
by all the fire companies of the city
and the Pine Tree hose companies,
who Immediately got on the job.
Probably the largest crowd that has
been seen at fire here was on the
scene, having been awakened by the
screecher's continuous roar, and
realized that fire that was liable to
reach huge proportions was raging.
The shipping extension ana drying
department of the planer was en-
veloped in flames when the fire
department arrived on the scene, and
the fire was extending It's sinuous
tongues Of fame in every direction,
especially towards the lumber sheds
east OF the planer, pushed as 1T was BY
the wind which was blowing from
just little north of west at the time.
The tire-fighters we're furnished with a
good heavy pressure, and they took
up their position at the north end Of
the machine department of the planer
with a number of streams, eHectually
stopping the fire from advancing
more than few feet into the planer
proper, and contining the loss here to
four machines which were totally
destroyed, and minor damages to one
or two others, and damage which
resulted from smoke and water.
A shed of choice lumber located q
few feet north of the shipping and
drying department of the mill took
fire, but the blaze was extinguished
before 1t did much damage. The
shipping and drying department and
the lumber sheds and lumber piled
outside just east of the planer did not
fare SO we'll, however, beng burned to
the ground. AS this was all high
class lumber, the loss was heavy here.
The room in which the betting was
kept was also burned with contents.
In the flames path to the latter sheds
and lumber piles, we're a number OF
loaded cars Five of these-Were s.des.;
troyed by fire and another was burned
somewhat on one end, but some others
were saved by number OF iremen
and spectators, who pushed them
beyond the reach OF the flames. An
engine which had been called was
unable to get to the burning cars.
Had the wind been blowing in any
other direction than what it was, the
loss would have reached much greater
proportions.
Mr.. Everts, representing the Western
Adjustment company, was here
Wednesday afternoon and made a
temporary inspection of the ruins of
the fire, and told the Pine Tree Manu-
featuring company that 1t could
proceed with the work of clearing the
ruins and put things in readiness to
start up again. He will come up with
another insurance adjuster next
Wednesday and settle the loss. which,
it is expected, will be in the neighbor-
hood OF $22, 900, fully covered by
insurance.
The company now has a crew of men
on the clearing work, and as soon as
the betting and repair material has
arrived, which will be in few days,
the seven or eight machines which
remained intact in the planer will
be started up at once.
| It is impossible at present to tell
just how many feet of lumber was
burned, but the company has several
of Its employees figuring it up.
The work of the fire department has
come in for considerable commenda-
! ton for its efficient and extra fine
work, and in appreciation of the
services rendered, the Pine Tree Manu-.
featuring company has presented the
department $500. which was mailed
with the following letter:
Feb. =, 1910.
Mr.. Geo: Emder,
Chief of Little Falls Fire Dept,
Little Falls, MINI.
Dear Sir:
We feel that the service renered
this morning by you and the members
of the fire department was efficient in
the highest degree, and wish to extend
to you our commendation for your
efforts by which the fire was con-
trolled with minimum amount of
damage. AS material expression OF
our gratitude we herewith enclose our
check for two hundred dollars, to be
added to the firemen g fund.
Thanking you for Your valued SER
vices, we are,
Very truly yours.
Pine Tree Manufacturing Company