The Oskaloosa herald., 1913-01-16
BOX FACTORY DAMAGE
Fire Causes Loss of $40, 900 to Os.
kaloosa Manufacturing Co.

| Fire that started about $3.50 o'clock
Sunday morning caused loss OF
about $4,000 at the buildings of the
Oskaloosa Manufacturing company on
Ninth avenue East.
qdDaWage, to buildings S3.500.00
pd Loss on stock .........,. 100000
| Loss on machines ...,... 100000
be Total 49,. 1890. 100000
| Loss on building and stock covered
| by insurance. but the loss on machin-
jery and equipment was not covered.
| The damage will be repaired and
1.-THE loss replaced with the least pos
sible delay. 1t is likely that the plant
will be enlarged in the rebuilding
and made more modern.
| Fire was discovered little after
half past six o'clock in the west room
of the factory by w. L.. Woodrow,
superintendent of the works. 1t was
' seen about the same time by c. G.
Jones, who lives north of the plant
on Ninth avenue. When first seen
the fire had a big start in the south
west corner or along the west side of
the machine room. The flames quick
ly spread to the frame building on
the west and the department on the
east. Before the flames were con.
| trolled they aid considerable damage
| in the third department or making
room" on the east and to the factory
building and stock sheds on the south
of the railway track. Effective work
on the part OF the firefnen put an end
to the fire at this point and the
heavier loss was confined to the two
rooms at the west end of the building,
/ The cause of the fire is unknown.
The factory had been closed down
since the holidays for the purpose OF
invoicing and no fire or heat had been
about the rooms for two weeks. Mr.,
Woodrow was about the property
Saturday and Saturday evening and
everything was in good condition at
that time. While in operation the
factory has a Waterman employed for
night work at the plant, but, during
the periods of suspension no watch is
maintained Invoice was completed
last week, the factory put in readiness
and the plant was to have started up
on the spring run this Monday morn
ing. Two car loads of material were
received at the factory last week and
the lumber was i'm place in the ma
chine room.
Fortunately the factory will not be
dependent upon the rebuilding of the
destroyed departments for the work
ing material. The company has prac
tically duplicate of the local equip
Iment at the mills furnishing theil
lumber and with little inconvenience
the lumber can be worked up the
same as was done locally and shipped
to Oskaloosa for assembly, trimming
and finishing. The men employed
with such work will therefore be oul
of employment comparatively little
time, or only until new material car
be supplied from the south.
Mr.. o. f. Schee, president of the
company and owner of the plant
stated to a Herald representative thai
the factory would be rebuilt imme
diately and better than before. II II
likely that the two rooms will be
made into one larger machine room
The sheds on the west will be re
placed by permanent structure OF
stock building, which will be in
creased in size Material used in
building will likely be brick. Imme
diate arrangements will be made fol
the heating of the work rooms and the
factory will be started on the spring
run" before the machine room can be
rebuilt and equipped.
Commentator of the splendid work
done by the firemen is heard on al
sides. But. for efficiency, determine
ton and daring on the part of the
firemen, who Jared both heat and cold
the loss would have been much more
severe and might easily have beer
total. The morning was IL to IA de
grees below zero and the fire had 9
big lead when the department hat
water turned on. Pipes were laiC
from Fourth street and from Seventh
street intersections and the meI
made two fighting squads. The stop
ping of the flames in the third de
partment of the long building was for
tunate. Had the flames foupd way in
to the painting rooms the plant would
have been doomed.
Walls of the burned out rooms were
thrown down Sunday morning as they
we're leaning and dangerous. Work
on clearing the ground will be started
as soon as the business in connection
with adjustment of insurance is com
lpleted. ..f .'r
Property of the Oskaloosa Artificial
Ice company south and east of the
fire, while endangered, was not dam
aged. -...-.
Damage to the buildings south O
the railway track can be repaired fol
POSSIBLY one hundred and fifty dol
lars. "s' ...
The two west rooms of the building
destroyed by the fire Sunday morn
ing were parts of the original power
house" structure, erected in 1880 BY
the Oskaloosa Power and Land Co, q
corporation started with Oskaloosa
capital to boom the town The build
ing has sheltered numerous business
enterprises from time to time. The
Baum Barbed Wire Factory, the John
son Tannery, Middour Glove and Nit
ten Factory, the Wells Furnace Co.
an electrict. motor company, etc, etc
The property. following number OF
Ireverses, fell into disuse with the ex
lcption of the operation of the cleo
trio light and power plant, which was
located on the ground. An oat meal
lmilL.that was operated by the power
FURNISHED by the place was burned to
Ithe ground, the electric light works
fWefel' destroyed by fire, the power
1hoAse'gitseh was several times more
FOR less damaged by fire that started
=.