Ashland, Wisconsin Fire

August 4, 1900

It Burned Like Powder

A million dollars worth of property went up in flames at Ashland, Wis.

Four Men Were Killed

Pinioned between burning piles of lumber and roasted to death – four thousand pounds of dynamite used to stop the progress of the fire – a change in the wind saved the city from destruction.

Ashland, Wis, Aug. 4 – Fire today destroyed a million dollars worth of property today in the lumber district of the city. The flames were checked, after three hours struggle, before they reached the valuable sawmills and ore docks along the waterfront.

Tonight the fire broke out again and threatens further heavy loss.

At 2:30 o’clock in the afternoon fire broke out in the lumber yards of Barker and Stewart. It spread rapidly to the Keystone Lumber Company’s yards and in a short time had destroyed almost 50,000,000 feet of lumber, including six tramways. Carried by a strong wind, the fire brands and sparks started a blaze in the lime and salt dock a quarter mile away. The dock burned like powder. It was a quarter of a mile long and was soon reduced to ruins, together with a warehouse containing thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise and several miles of railroad track. Four thousand pounds of dynamite was brought to the scene and distributed all around the edge of the fire zone. Piles of lumber and a score of small buildings were blown into atoms and the flames confined.

None of the sawmills had been destroyed. The loss is easily a million dollars. Edward Hines said that the loss of his firm alone was $800,000.

At 8 o’clock this evening the wind, which has steadily favored the fire fighters, suddenly veered toward the city and developed into a gale. The alarm was sounded again, and every available piece of fire apparatus was brought into action, but it appeared probable that the mill of Barker and Stewart Durfee, the Ashland Iron and Steel company’s property, and the Ohio Coal Company’s dock would be destroyed.

At 9 o’clock when it seemed as if the whole city was doomed, the wind suddenly veered again toward the bay.

At 10 o’clock the fire was checked except in one place and there is good prospect of confining that.

Burned to Death
Milwaukee, Wis. Aug. 4 – A special to the Sentinel from Ashland says:
In the Barker and Stewart yard four employees, assisting in the dynamiting were pinioned between burning piles of lumber and were seen to go down in the fire raging beneath them.

The Anaconda Standard, Anaconda, MT 5 Aug 1900

FIRE HAS SWEEP

RAGES FOR HOURS IN ASHLAND, WIS., LUMBER PILES.

THE LOSS A CLEAN MILLION

FLAMES HARD TO CHECK IN FACE OF HIGH WIND.

OBLIGED TO USE DYNAMITE

HEROIC MEASSURE TAKEN PROVES EFFECTUAL FINALLY.

Four Men Hemmed In and Lose Their Lives While Fighting the Fire--New Danger by Wind Changing.

Ashland, Wis., Aug. 4.--A round million dollars’ worth of property was destroyed by fire in the lumber district of this city today. The flames were checked after three hours’ struggle and before they reached the valuable saw mills and ore docks along the water front. The wind favored the fire fighters during the afternoon and probably nothing else saved the millions of dollars’ worth of property along the waters’ edge, and perhaps, a good part of the city.

The fire started at 1:30 p.m. in the lumber yards of Barker & Stewart. It spread rapidly to the Keystone lumber company’s yards and in a short time had destroyed almost fifty million feet of lumber, including six tramways. Carried by the strong wind, the firebrands started a blaze in the lime, salt and cement docks a mile and a quarter away. The dock burned like powder. It was a quarter of a mile long and was soon reduced to ruins, together with a warehouse containing thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise, and several miles of railroad track.

Heroic Measures Taken.

It was seen that unless heroic measures were taken the fire would spread until everything inflammable had been destroyed, the authorities acted with great promptness.. Four thousand pounds of dynamite was brought to the scene and distributed all around the outer edge of the fire zone. Piles of lumber and scores of small buildings were blown into atoms and after three hours’ hard work, the flames had apparently reached their limit. None of the great saw mills had been destroyed, but the loss was easily a million dollars. Edward Hines said that the loss of his firm alone was $800,000, fully insured.

The fire was still burning in the yards, but he did not fear any further damage, owing to the fact that everything within its reach had been destroyed by the dynamite.

At 8 o’clock this evening the wind, which had steadily favored the fire fighters, suddenly veered towards the city and developed into a gale. The alarm was sounded again and every available piece of fire apparatus was brought into action, but it appeared probable that the mill of Barker & Stewart, Durfee’s mills, the Ashland Iron and Steel company’s property, and the Ohio Coal company’s dock would be destroyed.

Four Lives Are Lost.

In the Barker & Stewart yard four employes assisting in the dynamiting were pinioned between burning piles of lumber and after looking anxiously around and waving their hands to the 5,000 spectators on shore in hope of receiving help, were seen to go down in the fire raging beneath them.

At 9 o’clock, when it seemed as if the whole city was in the greatest danger, the wind suddenly veered again toward the bay and away from the city and the mills. Meanwhile the fire had secured a fresh hold and was slowly but surely eating through the remaining lumber piles toward the Keystone mill. Several hundred men worked like demons with every available line of hose and so hot was the blaze that a bucket brigade was formed to pour water on the firemen to keep their clothes from catching fire.

Since 6 o’clock several million feet of lumber have burned, but at 10 o’clock the fire was checked except in one spot, and there is a good prospect of checking that.

The fire has now been burning ten hours and the firemen are exhausted.

The Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, NE 5 Aug 1900

Transcribed by Audrey.  Thank you, Audrey!

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