River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-12-29

and Captains Collins and Doyle
persisted with 80 other firemen in
a fire which destroyed the beef plant
of Norris & Co. at the stock yards.
Scores Of firemen were injured.
The property loss may reach more
than 100000.
Fire Chief Horan's body was re-
covered after repeated efforts to move
the smoldering debris under which he
was buried and removed to the home
Of his brother, Daniel ]. Koran, Sixty
first street and Prairie avenue.
FIremen Were PowerIess.
The flames spread SO rapidly that
the firemen were powerless to save
the plant The entire stock yards dis
trict was threatened.
Huge tanks of tallow stood direct
ly In the path of the flames and threat
ened to explode.
The fire was the most disastrous
that the department has had to con-
tend with since the Iroquois fire, and
the holocaust at the Seventy-frst
street crib.
buried IN DSpFISs
All the victims were in the base
ment of the new beef plant when an
explosion occurred that wrecked the
building and buried them beneath tons
of debris. The explosion came with
out warning. The men believed they
had the flames under control and were
preparing to back out Of the build
ing when the explosion of what is be-
lieved to have been ammonia took
place. A minute later companions
were making frantic battle to reach
the buried sufferers.
Wild excitement followed. Extra
calls for help were sent in. A major
ity of the fire companies in the city
were rushed to the scene.
The flames, stirred by the strong
wind, spread rapidly, and soon were
beyond control.
Face Death From Explosions.
Explosion after explosion followed
and drove back the firemen. The heat
became so intense that the flames had
to be fought from distance of half a
block.
All the time great danger prevail
ed because Of the tallow tanks being
close to the burning structure.
It was hours after the discovery of
the fire before the firemen were able
to get near the structure. Then the
body of Morwerski was found.
News of the fate of the firemen
spread rapidly throughout the city.
Soon hundreds of Srief-stricken moth
ers, sons and daughters appeared on
the scene. Their grief was pitiable.
Policemen had great difficulty in
keeping them from rushing into the
flames.
Edward Morris, president of the
company, was almost overcome when
he realized that so many lives had
been lost.
Waterman Discovers Fire.
A Waterman who was making his
rounds through the structure discov-
cred the fire. He saw flames in what
is known as the hide storerOom in the
basement He at once telephoned an
alarm and fed from the building. The
flames spread rapidly and with the
arrival Of the first companies of fire
men a general alarm was sounded
which brought over Is companies of
firemen to the scene.
Fire broke out at a. IN. and a
spectacular battle with the flames en-
sued until, at 5 a. M, terrific ex-
plosion of ammonia in the beef cold
storage section of the building sent
a heavy canopy crashing down on a
squad of firemen who were directing
their operations from a loading plat
form.
Send Many Calls for Help.
The fatalities all occurred in one
place on the loading platform. When
the blaze first was discovered and
an alarm turned in the first Of the
fire department forces to arrive on
the scene sent in Ali call for help.
Following this came special call after
special call, until so streams of water
were trained on the blaze.
A stubborn fight occurred between
the flames and the f1remen. The fire
spread to many parts Of the building
despite the efforts of the men who
sought to check it.
The fight had continued for an hour
when the crash came. Away up in
the roof of the structure, near point
directly over the loading platform on
which stood Fire Chief Koran, Bur,
roughs, his second assistant, Lieten-
ant Fitzgerald and nearly a score of
others, there was a sudden, sharp,
loud report like the instantaneous
rending of a high-pressure boiler.
Portions of the masonry of the