American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-04-26
VOLUME XVII.
MEXICAN FALLS MILL
DESTROYED BY FIRE
Large Part of Business Section Threat
ened-Mill VIII BE Rebuilt With
Enlarged Capacity.


American Falls Milling company that
was burned Friday night have been
drawn, machinery for the new mill has
been ordered and construction work
will begin as soon as possible. The
managers have not learned yet wheth-
er or not they will be able to use the
old stone framework left from the fire
u case it is uninjured it will greatly
facilitate the building of the new mill.
Fire that completely destroyed the /
pilling company's elevator and gutted .
the, four story building that contained /
the plant broke out in the top story /
of the mill at lis a. m. Saturday /
morning. 1t was caused, as near as
can be learned, by an explosion in the |
busters caused by heat from a hot |
boxing in the machinery. When first |
seen the flames were bursting from |
the windows on every side and it was
plainly evident that the building could |
not be saved. ]. ]. Becker, night
foreman of the plant which was in full |
operation at the time the explosion |
occurred, was the first man inside the
building to smell smoke and he inn
mediately went to the top story to To-
cate the fire. In the darkness of the
lower floors he could not find the
light switch so returned to the main
floor, gave the alarm and went to the
Star garage for the city fire apparatus.
BY 1880 a. m. there we're two streams
-. thn Gro urHf oh
was burning fiercely in the interior
of the mill. A stiff east wind carried
the blaze far over the business block
that contained the Oliver & McKown
store, the Riverside Mercantile COM
pany, Schwarz Bros. pool hall, ELS
berry Clothing company, the Gem
State Lumber company's office and
yard and the store of r. E. Ellsberry.
Burning brands and cinders' showered
all over the block and it seemed only
q matter of few minutes until the
entire block would be ablaze. People
in the rooming houses over the busi-
ness blocks began to pour from their
rooms with what few belongings they
could gather in their arms and all ef-
forts we're directed toward saving the
buildings. In the meanwhile the big
elevator had caught on fire and was
sending great burning brands skyward
to light in some unprotected part of
the city.
The fire fighters stuck to their posts
valiantly though the heat was intense
and was cracking the heavy, thick
stone walls of the mill and curling the
sheet iron like paper. The big double
doors in the east side of the building
gave way with crash and let loose
a tongue of flame that made the saw
ing of the buildings across the alley
seem impossible. The fire in the mill
however, had about spent itself and
was finally controlled by hose play and
the main fire was shifted to the big
elevator that was lighting the country
for VIaes around. The guards on the
railroad bridge we're able to read news
papers as if by daylight.
When the fire shifted to the elevator
all efforts we're centered on saving
the yards and buildings of the Gen
State Lumber company but fifty feet
awav. A we'll managed bucket brigade
helped the fire hose and kept tbs
buildings and lumber flooded with wa
ter. Still it appeared that the blocf
could not be saved and a call for aiC
was telephoned the Pocatello fire de
partment. Mayor Williams communi
Gated with Mayor Wones of American
Falls and promised any assistance tha
might be given.
When it appeared that the larges
business block in the city as we'll
several other nearby buildings wer
doomed. the wind died down and tn
roof of the elevator collapsed contn
ing the fire to a smaller area. Hope
If saving the other buildings begal
~ raise and by a. m. the fire wa
,,.5er control. The call to POcateli
vras countermanded just as two ia
cars we're ready to pull out from IN
pocatello depot on their way to IN
tre. By four o'clock the mill and ele
vator we're i'm ashes and the safety {
-, block assured. Two streams c
water we're kept pouring steadily o
The ruins and by daylight all was
smouldering heap.
The damage done to the nearb
buildings amounts to about $3.50 an
can all be easily repaired. The Fall
pharmacy caught on fire during tn
shower OF cinders but was diseovere
IN time to prevent a loss. None
the homes and buildings in the cit
nth and east Of the fire were e.
wiped from danger during the nj
the sparks we're carried for mi
MO the country by the wind.
The telephone and electric hgl
systems we're demoralized for ma
hour after the general alarm WI
nrned in and many people dress'
and removed their belongings IN u
dark. ,.. So
The only injury that resulted fro
hxy Mrs Roger