Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-31
FACTORY OF WATERLOO DROP
FORGE COMPANY DESTROYED
WITH Loss or s7s,ooo.
ON, N,sUiLpINa AND
CONTENTS ABOUT $4,000
Blaze Originates Near OIL Tank Which
Expledss-Firs Raoss Furiously and
Building 10 Coon outtsd = Force
Lately Reduced and Twsnty Five
Mon Are Thrown Out BY Fire.

Waterloo, Jan. 3l.--Fire, which Origi-
mated In the furnace room Of the Wat
erioo Drop Forge Company's plant. on
Falls avenue at $50 o'clock hast even-
ing. reduced e-haif OF the building
occupied by the company to mass Of
smouldering ruins and gutted the re-
mainder. renskring It practically worth
less. The loss IL estimated at $4,000.
with insurance on building and con-
tents amounting to $4,000.
The fre ragged furiously for about
thirty minutes, being connHsd during
that time to thewest 1Ih aoe the build .
Ing which was OF frame construction
reinforced with sheet iron. Tho con-
.struction OF this section Of the building
was entirely OF wood md offered little
or no resistance to the ravages OF the
flames. Tho entire west half OF the
structure. an addition made to tho
original building nt the time tho COM
pany engaged in business in Waterloo.
was reduced to ashes within an hour
after the fre started and was practi-
cally in this condition when the fire
department arrived upon the scene.
4, The origin Of the fire was IN closo
proximity to an oil tank located near
the roof Of the building and used to
furnish fuel for the furnaces. This. It
II thought. exploded shortly after the
fire originated as early arrivals en- the
scene testify tc hearing An explosion
and witnessing flames shooting mary
feet into the air.
In addition to the tank In the bull y
ing. which contained about 200 gal
Ions OF oil, another tank loc.ltei UNDER
ground jus: outside Of the structure,
held IA, 900 gallons and a car containing
many thousand additional gallons had
been switched to the company's plant
Just recently but had not been unload
ed. The underground tank was not
affected In any way and the car was
moved to n po;nt OF safety.
Everything Of any value contained In
the office, including the safe. books
ledgers. accounts files and other office
materials were removed to n vacant
house adjoining the compnnys proper
ty. With the exception OF these artt-
cles nothing was taken from the build
ing. Some Of the machinery contained
in the main part OF the structure, 1t is
thought. may he unframed and Of
some value altho the flames had
worked their way into that section de-
spite the efforts to control them.
The Waterloo Drop Forge Company
was organized in July. 1909. by J. r.
Morris. who had been Interested In the
Mnrsnalltown Drop Forge Company
prior to that time. He came to Water
loo and after interesting local capital
In his venture. took over the building
al that time occupied by a plaster con-
Germ and Immediately erected one
story addition TO the structure.
The business Of the company was de-
voted entirely to tho manufacture Of
drop forg,ngs and dies and nearly the
entire output was utilized by Water
loo manufacturers.
The plant had been running on re-
duced schedule and about Twenty-Five
men will be temporarily thrown out OF
employment