Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-03-11
DISASTROUS FIRE GETS
START ON WIDEST
OF NIGHTS
PLANT IN RUINS.
FIREMAN FIGHT BRAVELY TO
SAVE HOMES NEAR SCENE or
CONFl AGRATlON-GlVE UP AT.
TEMPT TO SAVE FACTORY
AFTER IT WAS DOOMED.
BULLETIN

oOkIC IN
This afternoon officials Of the com.
pany announced that work of re.
building the plant would be begun
at once. The new factory will face
the north on Columbus street. The
company, it was said has contracts
for 1926 machines daily which will
require the services Of 100 men. The
Chicago shops will keep up the busi.
ness between now and the time Of
the completion of the new factory.
It was also announced this after.
noon that the Lamb Company loss
would be approximately $4,000, the
loss being confined to woodworking
tools and nickel plating machinery.
Tanned TO raging fury by htty.
mile-an.hour gale fire OF unknown ORR
gin Saturday night levelled the OF
tawa Pianophone Comanys plant in
North Ottawa. causing Il loss 10 build
ing and contents OF 100000 The
Dlazc, one OF the most spectacular in
the city's history, was witnessed bv
hundreds who braved The wild ele
ments to watch the destruction of this
rapidly growing Ottawa industry.
Three homes were caught in the
mae!strom of swirlling embers and
licking flames that spread across the
street The residences in the path
OF the fire were those OF John LYONS
and Louis Fucker, for whose homes
the department fought yaliantly ana
well against odds to save. The roofs
of both places were several times IT,
nited but never once were the flames
permitted to get beyond the point OF
control
Using boards and coal Shed doors
as shields against the intense heat
that made waging battle against the
organ factory blaze impossible. the
department kept steady streams OF
water upon the three homes in the
path OF the flames, The results of their
effort are shown today by the presence
there OF The dwellings, after they were
apparently doomed to destruction
Factory ic P,,ad
WHAT stood as one OF the cily's best
built buildings on Saturday today lies
q mass of erumbed brick and plaster.
Beyond the smouldering ruins there is
nothing TO indicate that the site was
formerly occupied by an industry that
once was believed almost -impregna.
bic against such a catastrophe.
Equipped with its private sprinkl.
ing system, the factory was consider.
cd as nearly fire proof as is possible
to build such concern. DESTROYED
one before every precaution had been
taken to prevent u repetition of the
biz fire of 1895 which ruined the West.
crn Cottage Organ 4, Piano Company's
plant. AT the time OF rebuilding the
then owners used everything modern
IN the construction and installed an
automatic system for safeguarding
their factroy against c0nflagrati1n
Reports on the success Of the sprnltl.
er system vary today. Officials of the
company sioutly maintain that the
sprinkling plant was in good working
order. Members of the fire dcpari.
ment contend that the system had
been disconnected for repairs and was
not in operation.
Starts in East Wing.
Fire was first discovered by Night
Watcbman Swanson The alarm was
rung in to headquarters at D.25
O'Clock and II was then reported to
the department that half of the in.
terror OF the factory was envcloped in
llames. When the iiremen reached
the scene the east wing was beyond
saving In few minutes after they !
began their battle against monumental /
odds the fire swept through the fac.
tory from end to end. Seeing that
there was no hope OF saving the three.
lContinupd on mace