Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1920-04-26
FIRE WIPES OUT
FELT SHOE FACTORY
Continued from page one.)

day, for it was so hot that it was fear
ed it would burst into flames if it were
opened and the air allowed to get in
side. For ten hours straight two
streams of water were thrown on the
fire. Sparks from the burning build
ings twice set fire to the %interurban
station. 1t was necessary to keep the
roofs of many nearby buildings wet
10 prevent them from catching on fire.
Big Stcck on Hand.
The Northwestern Felt Shoe com
pany's Jan. 1 invoice showed a $119,-
900 stock of material, felt, etc, on
hand. This had been materially in
creased since then and it is estimated
by Mr.. Eurleson that the company had
1t least 5000. 600, or more, on hand at
The time Of the fire. This vas a total
loss. In the old armory building.
alone, $4,000 worth of felt was stored.
The company probably had on hand
the largest stock in its history, and
it is felt that the estimate OF a $780,
600 loss is very conservative and pos
sibly somewhat under figures that Will
be arrived at when accounts can be
fully gone over. The company carried
$1O1 900 insurance on its stock, $4,000
one of the buildings and $1,000 on
the other, also $500 on machinery
and boilers, making the tota! insur-
ancc $12G,J00.
Two Companies.
The felt shoe factory business, ma
chinery and stock was owned by the
Felt Shoe company. The
buildings We're owned by the
Building company. The
in both companies, how.
ever, arc identical. The buildings and
lots on which they stood had been
at IL total cost Of $332,OOO, but
we're easily worth $4,000 OIL more.
The armory building was bought only
last year and $4,000 had been expended
in repairs necessary to make Il factory
building Of il.
The felt shoe company formerly |
stored Il good deal of its felt in the
old Crazy building Oh Second street,
but after the armory building was
ready for occupancy, everything the
company owned was placed in the two
buildings, so that yesterdays fire
wiped out totally everything both com
panies owned.
Nationwide Reputation.
The Northwestern Felt Shoe com
was one of the largest concerns
of its kind in the country. 1t was the
only felt shoe factory in the United
outside the east. 1t was sold Il
wear ahead on its output, the sales for
the present year amounting to $54O,-
200. Saturday II $4,000 shipment of
goods for Carson, Pirie. Scott 4 Com
pany of Chicago was boxed ready for
shipment today. This, of course, along
with everything else owned by the com
WAS totally destroyed.
AS to starting again iii business, the
difficulties are almost lnsurmOuntab!e.
Machinery is high in price and I'M
hard to get. Mr.. Burleson
,stinatcs that it would take at least a
e to get the necessary machinery
and SET up for use.
Employed Upwards Of Hundred.
The company employed Il hundred
men, women and girls i'll the plant,
beside some twenty-five o. more wo-
men who tool; piece work to their
The weekly pay roll ran
$1,000.
The loss sustained to Webster City |
is far greater than the actual loss OF
The property. 1t means that 10 people
Of the city are out of work. OF course.
with help as scarce as it is. all will
Jobs. but the weekly pay roll Of
he Northwestern Felt Shoe company |
meant more to the merchants and bust |
~
ness men of the city than can he rcaliz-
ID and the hope is general that some
way will be found for this company to
resume business. For many years the
company operated at a loss. 1t is
only during the past three years that
the Stockholders have realized any
thing from their Investment. 1
Big Thing for City.
The company had just gotten to the
point where it WAS Il fine paying in
stitution and recognized generally over
country as one of Americas very
felt shoe factories. Its goods were
sold from coast to coast and in for
eign countries. For the past two years
its output has been ovcrsold. Big
clamorcd for its goods and its
shoes and slippers were known all over
the United States among buyers of this
class of goods. Its officers and stock
holders had done a big thing for Web
ster City. They had made the city
known all over the country as the
manufacturing center for the best felt
shoes and slippers made anywhere.
.r M. llo.