The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1921-07-07
MOSCOW HIGHWAY DISTRICT
SUFFERS HEAVY FIRE LOSS

The worst fire Moscow has suffered
in several years occurred last night
when the barn occupied by the Moscow
highway district for a store room for
its machinery, tanks, trucks, etc., was
totally destroyed by fire starting
from the back-fire of truck just as
it entered the building. By heroic eff
forts on the part of Earl Silvey and
j. w. Lee, both of whom were burned
painfully, the truck that caused the
fire was run out in Main street and
only the front part is seriously dam
aged.
1t is believed the back-fire of the
truck ignited the gasoline vapor in
the building, where the filling tank is
located and where there were num-
ber of steel tanks of gasoline. The
flames spread so quickly that in one
minute the entire building was mass
of flames and the fire was so hot that
it was fought with difficulty. "The
hottest fire Moscow has ever had" is
the expression Of several firemen.
The fire spread to the vinegar
plant, just north of the barn, and the
big frame building of the plant was
entirely destroyed and four big tanks,
each containing several thousand gal
Ions of vinegar, were badly damaged.
The loss to the vinegar plant will run
we'll into thousands of dollars.
The fire department responded
promptly. In two minutes after the
alarm was sounded firemen were
there and streams of water were be-
ing played on the burning structure. |
It was evident the barn could not be
saved and efforts were turned to saw
ng adjoining or nearby buildings.
These efforts were successful For
there was no wind or the re- /
suits might have been disastrous.
The highway district suffered the |
,otal loss of one big G. M. c. truck,
serious damage to another, and the
oss of much gasoline and other sup
,lies. Fortunately new truck that
lad not been insured, was not in the
yarn, the driver having taken it to
lis home and knew nothing of the
ire until he returned to work this
morning.
The highway district is working two
hifts from 4 a. m. to 9 p. M and the
light shift had just returned from
he highway and put the three trucks
n the barn when the fire started. The
Highway district loss is placed at
14,OOO, fully covered by insurance.
| big "quad" truck owned by the
ederal government and rented by the
ighway district, was totally destroy
d. The building, of little value, was
wned by J. B. Dudley, of Palouse.
t was not insured, is the report to-
at is indeed fortunate that the fire !
ccurred now instead of the winter
eason," said G. p Mix, chairman OF
ne highway board of commissioners.
We had nearly all of our outfit on
ne highway and there has not been
me when there was less stuff in the
uilding at night, than last night. :
he loss is fully covered by insurance )
nd the work will not be seriously
elayed. We will borrow trucks from
le state, which has lot of equip =
len that is not being used, and pro-
led with the work. The only delay Z
ill be in surfacing. The grading is !
ping on rapidly. I think the district &
fortunate that the loss was no
reater.' e
C. B. Green, who has been mem a
sr of the fire department for 27
ears, had both hands so badly burn F
| that the skin peeled off Of them. s
r. Green said: "I was in the Elks I
mple when the bell rang and in two
inutes was at the scene of the fire. O
was the hottest fire l have seen
81 years. The department respond K
lickly and did splendid work or v
ere would have been a much heavier Y
ss."
A carload Of corrugated iron cul- X
rt pipe had just been unloaded into n
= barn. This is only slightly dam s
,ed and can be used. t.
High praise is given the fire depart n
ent for promptness and efficiency of
,rk. The building was regular pi
e trap" as many citizens remarked, Of
IS old, dry and large and mere W
ell. It burned like paper. Build
gs but a short distance away in all Sc
rections were saved with practically fc
damage. Two shifts of truck ly
ivers will be out of employment for
yeral days but the rock crl1sher will