Year: 1879




Wednesday Night.


Last Wednesday night our village was
visited with another disastrous fire.
Sometime between twelve and one
O'Clock fire was discovered in the King
planning mill, which has been run for
some time by Alex. Mcdonald. The
flames had got such headway before the.
alarm was given that before the fire
company could get there they were
bursting out in all quarters of the build
ing, and by the time the engine was
stationed and at work the mill was one
surging mass of flames, beyond any
hope of being saved, and all efforts were
directed toward saving as much of the
surrounding property as possible. The
yard of the planning mill contained quite
a quantity of lumber, which was soon
in flames, and which was all consumed.
G. P. LangdOn's shingle mill, which was
connected with the planning mill
which furnished the power to run it,
soon fell victim and was consumed,
MIR. LangdOn also had mill for grind
ing feed in the old building north of the
planning mill, and quite a quantity of
grain, which he had received few days
previous, stored in the same building,
all of which passed through the fire, and
was almost total loss. At one time
the whole lower part of the village was
seriously threatened. Goals were car
ried by the wind and were falling on
buildings, requiring careful watching
to avert the danger. The heat was so in
tense that it set fire to the Fountain house
and the cOrnice had got to burning
briskly before they were able to get
water to it to put it out. c. A. Gala
gher's stable and ice house were consum-
ed, and quite an amount of wood, and
his and DR.. GerOws building were seri-
Ously threatened, and were only saved
by the efforts of the fremen and the citi-
zens. Had they caught fire and got beyond
control there is no telling where the fire
would have ended, but fortunately the
efforts of the fremen were successful
and confined the fire to the planning mill
and the buildings and lumber in the inn
mediate vicinity. AS near as we can as
certain the loss will aggregate about
$4,000. Mr.. LangdOn places his loss at
$4,000, MIR. Mcdonald at a like figure.
The mill and machinery belonged to
Mrs. B. F. King. Mr.. Mcdonald had
quite an amount of work, such as doors,
sash &C., in the building, beside the
lumber ON the yard. In addition to what
was consumed, Mr.. Mcdonald will Sc
verely feel the loss in connection with
his contract for building the new jail.


How the fire originated is not known.
Mr.. Mcdonald and Mr.. LangdOn had both
been around the mill at a late hour and
there were no signs of fire then. A great
many cOnjectures are given as to the
cause, but of course nothing definite is
known. The fremen are entitled to great
credit for their success in fighting the
flames and preserving the surrounding
property. Large cinders were carried
over the village out into the straits and
Main street was visited by a perfect
shower of Goals. Many of the citizens
knew nothing of the fire until the next
morning, and one of the men employed
in the mill made his appearance with
his dinner pail in hand at the usual
hour ready to go to work, he not having
heard the alarm and did not know of the
fire until he came down to 60 to. work.
The loss will be seriously felt in this
community. bssr rs