Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-04-15
CEDAR RAPIDS MILK SUPPLY CUT
SHORT BY SPECTACULAR
BLAZE.
BARNS, sILos AND MUCH
VALUABLE MACHINERY BURNED
Three Head Of Thoroughbred Cattle
Perish Buildings Covering Two
Aerss Of Ground Quickly Go UP in
Smoke Spark From Gasoisns En-
gins May Have Started Fire.

CEDAR Rapids, April Is. - A raging
IRE which broke out in the mammoth
cattle barns at the William Bear dark
farm two miles south OF Cedar Rapids,
at S.45 Friday evening, destroyed
buildings which covered approximately
two acres Of ground, RULED much VAL.
liable machinery and with it's lurid
glare lighted up the entire city.
The cattle barn. one of the largest
and most modern structures Of it's kind
In the state, two large silos, one filled
with ensilage, two horse barns, a corn
crib. hog sheds and several outbuild-
ings were quickly destroyed by the
flames which leaped from roof to roof
and created such an inferno of roar
ing fire that all would-be fighters of
the cpnflagration were kept at a dis
tance making It impossible to do any
thing to check the blaze.
With the aid Of chemicals and the
little water that could be pumped and
.bailed out Of wells, the house and
buildings close to 1t were saved. A
herd Of fifty thoroughbred milch cows,
which were In the barn when the blaze
was discovered, were taken out with
the exception Of three head, which, as
they were burned to death, rent the
air with their cries and bellows, plead
ing in their dumb, way, for help. r''.
Might Have Been Spark.
According to statements from men
working for Mr.. Bear and who were
occupied in the cattle barn when the
fire first broke out. the origin of the
blaze Is attributed to a gasolene' en-.
CINE. All Of the milking machinery is
operated by power and Friday evening
the hired men were installing a new
gasolene engine in the cattle barn.
They had lanterns to furnish the light
for their work and It is thought that
In some manner a spark from the en-
CINE or one OF the lanterns must have
fallen upon fnflammable matter. The
first flames were seen in the south end
Of the cattle barn and when the four
men who were at work found that It
was useless to try to fight the flames,
they devoted all Of their energy to re-
moving the fifty head of cattle which
were in the barn. tAltho they ran much
risk to themselves and suffered many
burns they managed to save all ex-
cept three head.
Valuable Property Destroyed.
The Cedar Heights Dairy Farm
standing on the top Of the hill just
south OF the city limits on the Iowa
City. road was famous all over Iowa
for the quality Of It's products. For
many years Mr.. Bear had worked to
make his equipment absolutely COM
plete and modern. An Of the milking,
separating and other processes were
performed BY mechanical devices. Care
had been given to the ventilation and
lighting OF the barns in order that the
cattle might be kept and the dairy pro-
cesses performed under the most sanf--
tary conditions. Hundreds Of homes in
Cedar Rapids were dependent upon MT.
Bear and his farm for their dairy sup
ply OF milk. All Of this valuable ma
ehinery, harnesses. farm implements
and an extensive array Of farm build
ings were completely destroyed. A
rough estimate puts the total loss at
SIS. coo. Mr.. Bear said that he thought
q large part Of this was covered by
insurance. ~