Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Paper Mill Fire

December 1906

PAPER MILL FIRE.

Wisconsin River Pulp and Paper Co. Sustains a Heavy Loss.

The plant of the Wisconsin River Pulp & Paper Co. sustained another heavy loss by fire Monday. This is the third time this plant has been wholly or largely destroyed by fire.

The fire was first discovered about 6 a. m. in the wheel room, a wooden structure adjoining the main mill at the south end. When discovered flames were already coming through the roof, lighting the sky.

Charles Gaylord, the night watch, had made his last round of the mill for the night and had returned to the other end of the mill, and had just got ontside [sic] the door on his way home when he noticed the glow of the fire as it came up through the roof. He says it was not ten minutes since he left the wheel room until his attention was attracted by the light. When he went through the wheel room Charles Shannon, one of the foremen, was there but he also left immediately afterward and everything appeared to be all right.

The mill was in full operation when the fire was discovered. Some of the hands at work also saw the blaze at about the same moment as Mr. Gaylord and the alarm was quickly given. The volunteer fire fighting force was quickly organized and several streams of water were turned onto the wheel house. However, there was at first considerable difficulty in handling the hose because of the severe cold weather. The cold water and frost would quickly close the nozzles and they would have to be removed and thawed out.

The wheel house made a hot fire and before the blaze was under control, all the outside sheathing had been burned off leaving only the large timbers standing and these badly charred. From the wheel house the flames forced their way through the small apertures in the great stone wall into the basement of the mill proper, the blaze following along the lines of shafting.

Once in the mill the flames spread rapidly and in an incredibly short time the entire basement under the beater room was a roaring furnace. The section of the mill is of wood construction except for the outer walls. The blaze crept up through the floors from the basement and soon the main floor was also all aflame. Here the volunteer fire fighters did excellent work and for a time it seemed that the fire would be confined to this apartment, but while the men were at work protecting the machine room on the west side, the fire crept through the fire wall at the east side and made its way along under the east machine to the north end of the basement of that section where it came up through into the main machine room and flames were soon coming out of the north end of the cupola, leaving the mill in the peculiar situation of appearing to be on fire at both ends and comparatively safe in the center.

About this time the city fire engine, which had been taken down as quickly as possible under the circumstances, was set to work and two additional streams of water were turned onto the fire in support of the 5 streams operated by the mill plant. The only blaze to be seen were a few feeble streaks of flame licking up the slats on the big ventilating cupola. Inside the plant was a dense hot impenetrable cloud of smoke and steam. The various lines of hose were directed as carefully as possible and by ten o'clock the fire was finally reduced to control and gradually whipped out, and by noon had been practically extinguished.

It is impossible at this time to present an accurate estimate of the loss but it will probably run up into the neighborhood of $50,000, which is covered by insurance. It is also too early to make a definite statement as to the time that will be required to repair the damage but it is probable that the plant will be shut down for several months. As there were about 150 hands employed, the loss in wages, will be felt by the community during the hardest part of the winter. Many of the men will however be able to secure employment in the rebuilding operations.

The wood mill, pulp mill, the new east addition and the north section of the main plant known as the finishing department, and the boiler room were not injured in the slightest degree by the fire. The engine room was slightly damaged.

The original plant was erected in 1891 and was almost wholly destroyed by fire in 1895. The plant was immediately rebuilt but was again destroyed in the spring of 1898. Each time the plant has been erected in a more substantial manner than before. The reason that the fire failed to do more damage in the machine room now is because the floors are constructed of cement and are fire proof.

George A. Whiting, president of the company, and Mr. Babcock, another member of the official staff and a heavy stockholder in the company, spent that afternoon at the mill and made some of the preliminary arrangements for rebuilding the plant. Just as soon as the insurance is adjusted the work of repair, will be commenced. After the smoke and steam cleared away that afternoon, it was found that the damage in the machine room was not as extensive as was anticipated. The fire in the ventilating cupola seemed to have originated from the action of the heat on the oily dust settled up there. The room became intensely heated from the fire in the basement but the damage from actual flame was not large. The repairs can probably all be made on the machines as they stand on the floor. The principal damage was confined principally to the beater room and the wheel house.

The Stevens Point Journal, Stevens Point, WI 29 Dec 1906

WILL BE FIRE PROOF.

Paper Mills to Be Rebuilt of Iron and Concrete. Plans for the rebuilding and repair of the Wisconsin River Pulp and Paper plant, damaged by fire on Dec. 26, are gradually taking shape and work on the same will be commenced as soon as the burned debris can be cleared away. The mill structure will be vastly improved in at least one particular. The floor of the beater room will be constructed of steel beams and concrete, supported on iron columns, this rendering that department practically fire proof. The concrete work will be put in by W. E. Ule and the steel and iron by the Allen Bridge & Iron Co. of Milwaukee.

The Stevens Point Journal, Stevens Point, WI 5 Jan 1907

Articles transcribed by Tammie Miller.  Thanks Tammie!

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