Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-10-29
W0LDUM POULTRY
HOUSE BURNS
FLAMES Consumed Entire Plant
sunday Night, and About 5000
Live Chickens i'm Crates
Were Cremated
LOSS ABOVE INSURANCE
BETWEEN 5000 AND $4,000
Firm Expects to Secure Other Quar-.
ters as Soon as Possible to Car
ny on Their Business

Sunday night between nine-thi
and ten O'Clock fire broke out at the
! "oldum Produce Co. on East Water
street and the entire plant was des-
| troyed. How tae fire started is un-
explainable. 1t was first noticed By
Rock Island trainmen. A brakeman
who was in caboose a short dis
tance from the plant noticed flames
at the southeast end of the building
and an alarm was sounded in the
neighborhood, and G. NJ Kjome who
lives nearby sent the alarm in for
the lire department The fire at that
time was eating its way up the side
or the building to the roof. A num-
Der OF men gathered quickly and Mr..
Halyor Woldum who lives nearby
got there Just as soon as possible and
the doors were opened and an effort
made to get out some of the live
poultry. Three crates were removed.
cut the flames shot through the en-
tire building so rapidly that ii was
impossible to enter the building and
the rescue of the chickens had to be
given up.
The building was a frame struct-
ire S0x54, two stories and basement
and was burned to the foundation.
with the exception of small por-
tion OF the west wall
There were about 5000 live chick
ems in crates of so each, about half
of them on the second floor and half
on the first and they were all burn
ed to a crisp.
The firm also had car load OF
condensed buttermilk and Sabout
three tons of chicken feed, which
was practically destroyed, besides
car load of poultry boxes, and about
a half car load of egg eases and egg
case lumber
They did not have many eggs on
hand, only about forty cases, which
were in the cold storage room in the
basement and these were unharmed
There was nearly car load OF
dressed poultry in the cold Storage
room, in the neighborhood OF. COCO
birds. The fire did not get into this
room, and the poultry was taken
out Monday morning and loaded into
q car for shipment.
The loss of equipment, trucks, etc.
is also heavy one. The Woldums
had just got the plant in fine work
ing order and ii was in first class
condition in every respect. The Rock
Island Co. owns the building. but
the Woldums built and owned the
storage plant in the basement. and
had made many other improvements
in the building. Their loss is
roughly estimated at between 5000
and $4,000. They carry $4,000
worth Of insurance, but still their
loss will be about as stated in the
foregoing.
We are informed that the building
will be rebuilt as soon as possible.
In the meantime The Woldum Pro-
duce Co. will secure a building up
town and proceed with their business
of buying poultry and eggs the same
as before.
1t certainly is severe loss to them
right now coming on at this season
when their business is just starting
in at the heaviest point.
The fire companies RESPONDED
shortly after the alarm was turned
in, but We're unable to save the
building Being a frame building and
dry it burned rapidly, and in less
than an hours time it was COM
pletely burned down.
The heat from the fire was terrif-
fic and the firemen were unable to
get very close to the building A
telephone and tree in front OF the
Ruen residence opposite tie plant
caught on fire and burned fiercelY
for while. Quite strong wind was
blowing from the north and sparks
were carried for block or two over
the residences south of the building.
WATER was played on the Ruen homs
to keep ii from burning Luckily
none of the residences caught fire.
Later--We have been informed
this morning by Mr.. Woldum that
they will open up at the National
Hotel on Washington street Satur-
day and operate their business Until