Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1915 — STORAGE PLANT AT NEWLAND DESTROYED [ARTICLE]

STORAGE PLANT AT NEWLAND DESTROYED

Big Onion Storehouse Erected Last Fall and 30,000 Bushels of Onions Burned. ■" T" The new onion storage plant at Newland and about 30,000 bushels of onions was destroyed by fire Wednesday night. The fire was discovered at about 10 o’clock and the Newland volunteer fire department did some splendid work in preventing the fire spreading to the other storage plant and from there to the business houses of the town. Some time after the fire had started word was telephoned in to R. D. Thompson, the insurance agent who had the risks on the building and contents and he secured three or four automobiles and a number of the members of the Rensselaer fire department, including Chief Montgomery, went there to assist in fighting the fire, taking the small chemical engines. They were unable to do Very much, however, but Chief Montgomery says that the work of the volunteer bucket brigade was excellent and undoubtedly was the cause of saving the other storehouse. The new plant was erected only last fall at a cost of about SIO,OOO. Its dimensions were 40x156 feet and it was a total loss, together with the onions stored there and a large number of onion crates. The building was insured for $7,500, the onions for SIO,OOO and the crates for $5,000. Not all of the crates were burned. The plant was the property of Ed Oliver, who also owned the greater amount of the onions, the others belonging to various parties who had them stored there.