The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1914-03-05
INSURANCE CARRIED FOR $e5,ooo
More Than Two Hundred and Fifty
Men Thrown Out Of Employment
For At Least Three Months
OWNED BY sHEvIM 1NTEREeTs
Was To Have Been Started Saving
Under Crookston Lumber Com
pany Ownership This Spring

-E-E--tN- ~-H-h-s Hat+#r 49,
destroyed the mill Of the Bemidii
Lumber company this morning, re-
suiting in a loss of approximately
100000 to the Crookston Lumber
company which firm recently pur-
chased 1t. While the mill Office
here does not know the amount of
insurance carried by the company, it
is believed to be about $4,000.
No explanation for the cause Of
the fire has been made and officials
of the lumber company claim that no
fire or Light Of any kind was in the
structure. At 4:30 a. m. when the
night watchman made his last VISIT
to the mill and registered, no smoke
nor flame was to be seer and his first
knowledge Of the fire was gained
when he heard the blowing of q
locomotive whistle and looking at the
mill saw it to e 1t in flames.
Discovered by Brabetz
Albert Brabetz, who discovered
the fire at 4:45 a. M, claims he first
noticed smoke pouring out of the
northeast corner of the mill and he
Immediately rushed to the mill and
endeavored to break in. He sue
ceeded in gaining entrance but the
smoke was so thick he was unable to
do anything and only saved one
chest of valuable tools. He then
phoned the Crookston Lumber COM
pany but was unable to get anyone
and later notified Bemidji.
Fafteen minutes after the dfscov-
cry of the fire the entire building
was in flames and two hours later
the mill was in ashes.
The mill was scheduled to begin
saving in another month under the
new management, when nearly three
hundred men would have been given
employment. The fire will mean that
these men cannot secure work for
at least three months, when the
mill will have been rebuilt or the
capacity Of the Crookston mill in
creased, as was the intention before
the purchase Of the Bemfdji estab.
lishmtent.
Wind Saves Planer
Had the wind been blowing from
the west the damages done would
have been much! greater, a. the Of
flee building, planer, lumber piles
and homes'of many Of the employees
could hardly have been saved. Az
it was the flying debris vas carried
to the ice Of Lake Bemtdti, which
u today covered with ashes.
The Bemidji. fire department made
the long run to the scene OF the ire
but on arriving found that to save
the building would have been Inn
possible and the fremen devoted
their time to the saving of other
property. Water was not turned
on the fire until nearly Z O'Clock. A
bucket brigade was formed from the
lake and was able to ave q large
portion Of the sorting shed.
Heat Intense
Cables on the smokestack became
lred with heat. but only one snapped
and the monster pipe remained
standing during the entire fire. Tue
heat was 80 intense that sheet iron
lon the oil house 200 feet away could
not be touched.
improvements Being Made.
Workmen we're just completing ex-
tensiye repairs on the building which
was being put in readiness for the
Opening OF the saving season.
Engine Room Quilted
The engine room, q brick build
ing was entirely quilted by the flames
It is believed that much Of the ma.
lchihery of the power plant was NOT
damaged beyond repair. 4 large
new cylinder had been placed
in the engine yesterday.
Machinery Total Loss
Practically all the machinery o
the mill proper is 4 total loss. Stee
beams and shafts twisted like q
much paper as the heavy .carriage