Omaha daily bee., 1912-04-06
ONE MAN BURNED TO DEATH
John Lausterer, Woodworker, Dies
in Attempt to Secure Tools.
STARTS FROM SWITCH ENGINE
Spark from Passing Missouri Pacific
Train Probable Origin.
SMALL INSURANCE CARRIED
Only $1,000 ON Plant and Buildings
Valued at More Than s2o0,o0o--
Low water Pressure Retards
Work of Department.

man is dead and property worth
- .imately $4,000 is totally DESTROYED
! the result of a fire which started yes
terday afternoon at o'clock in the 7. 4.
Stroud Manufacturing company's plant
at Twentieth and Ames avenue. The fife
is supposed to have been started by
sparks from a Missouri-Pacisic switch
engine which passed close TO the paint
room where many hundreds of gallons of
gasolene and oils are kept. oals sj,ea
insurance is held on the plais.
Rushes After Tools.
John Lauseterer. woodworker, aged IS
years, who lives at Nineteenth and
Clark streets. was the victim Of the
fire. Lausterer was out OF the building
when the fire was first discovered. as
were all Of the other employees. Ha
watched the flames for a few minutes
when he exclaimed that his woodwork
ing tools were In the burning paint shoe.
He rushed In and few moments lateg
he was seen frantically trying to raise
a window TO get air. As he was Juggling
at the window the entire building burst
into a sheet OF flame and when later his
body was recovered. ii was burned to
crisp.
Coroner Crosby TOOK charge Of the
body and is endeavoring TO locate his re-
latives. Last night II could not be as
oertained whether he had family here.
He had been in the employe Of the Stroud
company for several years and was
known as an excellent workman.
Gasoline In shop.
Men who were working In the paint
shop where the fire started. say that ons
employe had just brought twenty gallons
OF gasoIene up to the building from the
oil room and was about TO mix some
paint. That was the last thing known.
for IL seems that he had hardly turned
his back when the entire room, covering
an area of 100 square feet, was ensel-
oped In q sheet OF flame. The switch
engine was standing on siding close
to the building and was just finishing
pushing sbme empty cars down the
tracks which run close to the building.
General Alarm Sounded.
A general alarm was turned In and all
Of the fire companies In the north part
of the city and In the down town dis
tricts responded. The blaze had too good
a start. however, and when they arrived
the entire Stroud property, which covers
over square block. was ablaze.
Water pressure was poor and the fire
men had a hard time battling with the
flames, and II was nearly 9 o'clock be-
fore the conflagratlon was under control.
At O'Clock IL was still burning. but two
working on It after that time
1t by keeping the smoking
mass constantly deluged with water.
Wind Fans Flame.
A brisk wind from the south kept the
fire alive, and Chief salter and his men
were forced to battle hard to keep the
sparks from setting fire to houses across
the street on Commercial avenue. A
number OF persons who occupied these
houses feared a spread of the fire and
began to move their belongings. Several
thousand people were attracted to the
fire, and after 5 O'Clock hundreds of
crowded the vicinity. The
street car company, too. did big busi-
ness, and the traffic on the Sherman
avenue line was so heavy that extra
cars were put on.
The Stroud Manufacturing company
was one of the largest wagon and farm
implement concerns in the west. Only a.
few months ago I. +. Stroud. who is
the sole owner, was offered s250,e00 for
the plant, but refused to SELL Farm
machines were sent monthly to all parts |
OF the world. and some of the grading |
tools and implements used on the Pan |
anna canal were made here.
Light Insurance.
w. I. Kierstead, 1870 Florence boulevard, |
one Of Mr.. stroud's closest friends, told |
4 Bee reporter that the reason Mr.. Stroud |
had only $500 worth of insurance on the |
plant was because Of the fact that the |
premiums were too large. He spent |
nearly $1,000 only last year in putting in |
. new steam heating plant. so as to re- |
duee possible fire danger to minimum. |
Up until year ago the plant was heav-
ly insured, almost up to its entire value, /
but recently Mr. Stroud allowed his poll |
eies to be cancelled.
Mr.. Stroud was not much downcast |
about his heavy loss, but further than |
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