Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-11
PIAN0PHONE co. IS
WRECKED BY BLAZE
CONTINUED from. Page IL


story structure the iiremen then de-
voted their attention TO the nearby
houses The s C. Place residence,
across the street 20 the wesl escaped
With only blistered paint 20 show il
had been neighbor 10 such Il disas
trOus fire.
Starts in Drying Kiln.
! When first warned OF fire Watch
man Swanson said the flames Were
confined 10 the drying kilns in the
east section OF the plant He was un.
able 10 give any enlightenment as 10
their origin. None others connected
With the industry. nor member of the
fire department have been able 10 as
sign responsibility for the conflagra-
ton. by some, defective electric
wiring is blamed Others fix the re-
sponsibilty upon spontaneous com
bustion The exact cause probably
will 20 down in department annals as
unknown
Covered by insurance.
The loss to both materials and
building, according TO statements Civ.
Ell the Free Trader.Journal by officers
OF the Pianophone Company. is prac.
tically covered by Insurance. =. III.
Noynahan, president OF the corpora.
ton was not in the city yesterday.
Vice President Oscar Wolf and Treas
. urer ". II. Blencoe were here Sun
day 10 see the havoc that had been
wrought and 10 prepare for an adj
! justment of the losses Both are
residents OF Chicago.
Neither Mr.. Wolf nor MIR Blencoc
would place an estimate on their
losses, but both believed the damage
suffered by them would be amply pro
tected by insurance. They were not
in a position az that time 10 state
whether or not the factory would be
, reconstructed
, Not on War Orders.
Consistent rumors that the company
was working on war orders were de
, MED by both Mr.. Wolf and Mr.. Blen
coe. They admitted having figured
upon some government materials but
at that time had received no contracts
, from Uncle Sam. They would have
il successful. built certain aeroplant
, parts.
Large quantity OF made.up materia
, was in the factory preparatory u
, shipment. Five hundred Pianophone:
were on the floor ready for Grating
, Fifteen hundred more machines wer,
, in various stages Of completion. The
loss in these Two lines will run intt
o the thousands OF dollars.
, Employ Fifty Men.
d. Fifty men. all skilled workmen wer,
3 thrown out OF employment as a resul
! of the conaaeration. The company
!. which was organized in Ottawa il
j., November 1916 bore prospects Of de
:. yeloping into really big thing Tn
4 success Of the venture il shown by
, large standing weekly order from
, large Chicago mail order house. whicl
a called for a hundred completed ma
p chimes every six days.
After its incorporation the Ottaw;
+ iianophone Company purchased tn
, Western Cottage Organ & Piano fac
a tory for $4,000. The transfer wa
filed for record on November -, 1915
,, and showed the real estate hold 4
Oscar Wolf On the same day Mr.
, Wolf gave a trust deed for S32 500 &
the Ottawa Banking Il Trust Com
, pany. The trust deed ran for five
2 years, bringing II due in 1921.
Since taking over the factory vaIu
able machinery was installed To carry
out the phonograph business, The new
machines together with those used by
their successors added greatly to thf
value Of the industry
: The u. e. Lamb Company, Whicf
. formerly occupied the third floor o.
the west wing, had some machinery
, stored in the building and a small
quantity OF made up materials This
loss to the Lamb Company will no.
be high, according to Mr. Wolff anf
Mr.. Blencoc The plant OF the electri
cal appliance concern has been moved
Clrau+bnrb