The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1924-07-10
$1,000 TONS OF
ICEEOST IN FIRE
Fire Completely Destroys
Tewes Ice Co. House
Late Monday.
CAUSE IS A MYSTERY
Fail to Agree on Cause of Dis.
astrous Fire; Loss Partly
Covered by Insurance.

Smoldering and sizzling with puff
of smoke here, flame and hiss there,
what was formerly one of the largest
ice houses in Kenosha county now lies
mass of ruins The building Of the
Tewes Ice company on the east shores
of Paddock's Lake, just off the Geneva
road, was wholly destroyed by fire
Monday evening with loss variously
estimated at this early hour of from
$125, 900 to $4,000.
At 1880 o'clock last evening one of
the summer visitors at the Paddock
cottages just to the north Of the ice
house heard the cracking of flames
within. the building and as he sum
moned help and spread the ala<m the
entire roof Of the thirteen-room struc-
ture burst into flame. Within ten min
utes the entire countryside was in
the neighborhood seeking some way of
stopping the spread Of the flames. Cot
tagers and passing tourists from miles
around became hurrying, scurrying
mass of people now pressing forward
and now rushing back as another part
of the building fell easy prey to the
flames. AS the Are spread to the last
building on the north it was feared
that the cottages in the vicinity would
be destroyed by the leaping tongues
of flame which shot out from all cor
ners of the now seething furnace
With the entire neighborhood il
Eliminated as by the sun. an emergency
railroad crew was organized with the
assistance Of several Of the men who
worked in the neighborhood and q
string Of freight cars standing nearby
was Unanswered into the railroad sid
ing between the burning buildings and
the cottages, and in this way blocked
the path Of the flames until volunteer
fire-fghters were organized.
BY this time the news of fire had
spread throughout the country -side and
at all hours after midnight new crowds
were arriving to watch the spectacle.
A group of men who had come ALI the
way from Grass Lake attracted by the
red skies Joined in the bucket bril-
gade and assisted in keeping the
crowds back.
AS the flames quieted down for the
moment shortly after two o'clock this
morning it was seen that the structure
literally hung on one or two steel
rafters and with the wind raging still
stronger every minute the complete,
collapse Of the frame building was ex-
pected momentarily. just before sun
rise this morning all that was left of
the wooden building tumbled into the
ruins adding another $4,000 to the
total Toss by spelling tons of ice cakes
The ice house had been filled with
ice at the close of the cutting season
late last winter and with the loss of
the building also went the complete
destruction of the store of ice. For
several hours during the early MORN
ing the Geneva road was lined with
gullies of hot water which an hour be-
fore had been ice.
The building was the property of the
Tewes Ice company, whose headquar-
tiers is in Waukegan.
An investigation carried on by the
owners of the dstroyed property this
morning failed TO discover the cause
of the Are. Officials Of the Salem fire
department, the members Of which
worked all through the night, togeth-
er with insurance officials had not come
to an agreement concerning the prob
able cause late this afternoon. One
opinion advanced by one of the people
who Witnessed the fire early this morn
ing said that it might have been caus-
ed by some Weary Willie" who may
have sought refuge in one of the nine
freight cars thatwere standing in the
building at the time, and which were
destroyed.
The total amount of Ice destroyed
was>hxed this afternoon at $4,000 tons.
Insurance was carried on the property
to the amount Of $4,000 according to
Edward Tewes, one Of the proprietors
of the plant. When asked whether the
plant would be rebuilt on the present
site, Mr.. Tewes answered in the mega
tive