The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1921-07-08
Trailer Assembling Plant Burns.

eAA~A ASoCN1UAkA& Aout Duk NO.
A fire, the exact origin of which has
not been fully determined, broke out in
the assembling plant of the Highway
Trailer company last Monday morning
shortly after midnight and laid the en-
tire building and its contents in ruins.
The main building of the Highway
Trailer with all its machinery and
equipment, also the Continental Axle
company building are intact, and the
fire will not in any way impair the pro-
ductive power of the two plants. All
hands were at work Tuesday morning,
not man had to be laid off due to the
loss of the assembling and storage
plant, and the work viii proceed with.
out any interruption to I'LL orders now
being worked by the company.
Officials of the company also stated
that there is no grounds for any un-
easiness on the part of owners of pre-
ferred stock, as that is fully protected,
and that the earning power of the
Highway Trailer has not been impaired
by the loss of one building, as it was
used purely for storage for raw ma
terial, parts of trailers and finished
traiIers, and as a shipping plant.
The building which was destroyed by
fire was mammoth structure, one
story high, except the first section
which was two stories, with floor
space 850x165 feet, brick walls and
wooden roof construction. The west
portion of the third or fourth section
was used for paint and paint material.
According to the best information
available, it was here that the fire
started. 1t is reported that an explo-
sion preceded the blaze. and when the
first flames shot out through the paint
materials section there was nothing to
stop the ignition in the roof coustruc-
ton which was already like finder in
the broiling heat of the sun which for
days had poured it's rays upon it.
The fire alarm sounded, the Edgerton
fire department responded promptly,
and the Trailer management expressed
its utmost satisfaction of the efficient
work of the fire brigade. The main
building was not even scorched, though
there is only good sized driveway
space between the two buildings. The
nearby wooden buildings were saved
and the fire confined to the one build
ing in which it started. The Slough
ton fire truck came to lend assistance;
it made remarkably quick run from
Stoughton to Edgerton, but all that
could be done was to confine the fire to
the assembling plant which by that
time was wholly enveloped by flames.
The total insurance carried on build
ing and stock was about 100000 The
stock was amply covered, but there is
loss of approximately 500, 900 on the
building. This insurance was all car
ried by local agencies.
|. Three carloads of trailers which were
to be shipped out Tuesday morning
were on the shipping floor. This order
will have to be rebuilt at once.
There is practically no salvage in the
materials stored, but the walls of the
building are standing, and sufficient
space to handle immediate needs of
storage may be enclosed without any
great outlay of money, and new Sec
tons added as space is needed.
Four hundred boxes of tobacco be-
longing to w. E. Hecht & Co. of Chi
cago was stored in the building; $50, 900
insurance on this lot fully covers the
loss. This insurance was written by
Henry Johnson.
AS stated above, the operation of the
Highway Trailer Co. will continue as
before, and the productive power of
the plant has not been impaired by the
loss of one building. While everybody
deplores the loss of this large and
splendid structure, it is the one build
ing, if one had to go, which can be
spared with the least permanent loss to
the Highway Trailer as an institution.