Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-12-26
100000 FIRE
At FORT. / DODGE
SUNDAY NIGHT
Quaker Oats Factory De-
stroyed in Fire Which
Threatens City; 250 Men
Thrown Out of Work.

Ft. Dodge, Dec. 25.-That the plant
Of the Quaker Oats Co., which was de-
stroyed by fire last night causing loss
'estimated at 100000, will not be re.
built is the belief here today.
The fire, of unknown origin, de-
stroyed the main mill, the package de-
partment and the feed mill. The, loss
is partially covered by insurance. The
alarm Of fire was turned in at 7:45.
From that time until after midnight
the members Of the fire department
battled with the flames. The spread
Of the flames was checked at 1O:45 p.
M, but at this time the main mill was
blazing and the firemen worked part of
the night in attempting to save some
of this structure.
Part Of Town Threatened.
The fire started in the basement Of
the package department and spread
rapidly to the basement of the feed
mill, in which there was large supply
of crates and cartons. AS soon as the
fire burst through the wall Of the build
ing 1t was famed by a strong wind, and
for time all of that section of the
town south and east of the plant was
in danger The Loomis Poultry and
Egg Co., establishment close to the
mill, was soaked with water to keep
it from catching fire and buildings
within block or two of the mill were
watched until all danger of sparks was
past. ~ s
Finding that it was impossible to
save the mill, firemen turned their at
tention to saving the large elevator
and were successful in this. -Four
streams of water were kept playing on
the building all through the night, The
fire Is the first test Of the new water
Fsystem ofs tlle rcfty md IT proved ade-
quate to the demand made upon it.
The Quaker Oats Co., recently an
nounced that the mill would be closed
after the first OF the. year, remaining
closed until spring, or after the oats
harvest, this action being taken be-
cause Of the slack business at the
plant. .a>
$50 Out Of Work.
The closing of the plant at this time
throws more than ESQ people out of
employment. A large percentage OF
them have spent the greater part of
their lives in working in the oatmetl
trade and If the mill is not rebuilt will
be compelled to turn to other means
of gaining a livelihood.
This is the third big fire suffered
~ the plant here. Several years ago
the elevator was destroyed at loss Of
$150,OOO while last June the feed mill.
then in the process of construction was
gutted this loss totaling about .$50,000.
St. Charles, Iowa, Fire Swept.
st. Charles, Dec. 25.-With the great
est part of it's business section pile
OF ashes, St. Charles today faces Christ
mas with the hope of immediate re-
building of most of the stores Destroy
ed Saturday night. The damage is
about $4,000.
The fire started early in the evening
in the Black dental parlors supposedly
from defective fue, although this
origin is not known definitely 1t
gained headway rapidly and for time
it was believed that nothing in the
entire town would be saved. Every
body fought the flames desperately, but
it was not until thirteen buildings were
burned entirely and number of
others damaged, that the fire was ex-
tinguished.