Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1922-03-31
Office and Warehouse of Foun.
tain-Campbell Lumber Co.
Totally Destroyed
ESTIMATE LOSS
ABOUT S1O.OO0.O0
Desperate Fight To Save Mills and
Lumber Rewarded With Success
Will Rebuild

Fire totally destroyed the office and
warehouse of the Fountain-C Campbell
Lumber Company in the northern
part of the city, Friday afternoon, do
ing damage estimated close to $4,000.
The lire started in the northeast cor
ner OF the warehouse, which adjoined
| the office, at . 80 o'clock. Dick Dev-
creau. head bookkeeper, smelled smoke
and started an investigation. He To-
Gated the fire and used the office chem
lcal extinguisher. then sent for other
eXtinguishers from the mill The
thick smoke, however, quickly drove
the men from the warehouse.
\ general alarm was turned in and
tho mill hands were summoned to form
Il bucket brigade TO fight the fire. The
city tire company responded prompt
ly 20 the call, but could not use their
hose. as there was no hydrant near
enough. The city chemical truck was
unequal to the work of subduing the
flames which gained strong head
way when windows were opened in
order TO fight from the outside. A
large crew with buckets of water from
the hot pond kept the planning mill.
which is located close to the site of
the warehouse, wet down, and did very
effective work. A line of mill hose
was connected with water system of
the plant, but the hose was in such
poor condition that it was ineffective
in eXtinguishing the fire, though the
stream helped 10 keep the fire down
somewhat
Office Equipment Saved
While the fire fight was going on,
citizens, firemen and millwOrkers We're
busy removing the contents of the Office
70 a safe place. Everything was ta
ken out. even the windows and doors
were saved.
The warehouse contained large quan-
titles of camp and mill supplies which
could not be removed from the build
ing. Gasoline and oils stored in the
building made the work Of keeping
the fire within bounds more difficult.
The big job was TO keep the planning
mill from catching fire. 1t did catch
fire in several places, but the fire was
quickly extinguishcd by men with
buckets, several of whom were on the
roof
A rather strong wind was blowing
from the southeast and this was con-
stantly threatening to carry the fire to
the planning mill. sawmill, barns and
the lumber yard. where hundreds OF
thousands feet of lumber are piled
Fire Notes
Frank Fountain one of the pr0prie-
tors and the manager OF the plant and
the business, said that il it had been
q dry time the plant could not have
been saved. He said he felt grateful
for the prompt response and good work
of the fire department.
A. l. Collins, 500 Line r0admaster,
was on hand, doing what he could to
save mill company property and ready
with locomotive to pull cars out OF
the nlill-yard, should the fire spread.
An amusing incident of the occa
sion happened when fire fighter
shouted TO man ON the planning mill,
John Morning, that he was on fire. He
calmly emptied a bucket OF water
down his trousers.
The origin Of the fire is unknown.
One of the most plausible theories is
that it was caused by spontaneous
combustion.
The entire plant, lumber and logs
are insured.
The Office of the lumber company
is now established in the boarding
house Of the company near the plant.
The company intends to rebuild the
office and warehouse this spring or
summer.
Claim adjusters for the under
writer's arrived here Monday to esti
mate the loss. No adjustment has
been made.