Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 162, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 July 1919 — MONON OFFICES INCLUDED IN $178,000 FIRE [ARTICLE]

MONON OFFICES INCLUDED IN $178,000 FIRE

In one of the most threatening fires that has visited Lafayette in a number of years the warehause of the National Fruit Juice companyV formerly the old Salem street freight depot and passenger station, ■ the local offices of the Monon railroad, and the bajm and warehouse iof the Terre Haute Brewing company, were entirely destroyed yes- ; terday. The fire originated in the warehouses of the Fruit Juice company, and was discovered about 9 o’clock by employes of the company, and an alarm was - turned in. Such headway had the flames made when discovered, however, that when the first truck arrived the roof of the building was falling in, an 4 one of the big doors at the side of the building blew off just as the first fireman reached the place, and it was evident from the start that the building could not possibly be saved. At different times during the day seventeen buildings were on fire, and 'the total loss is conservatively estimated at $175,000, SIOO,OOO of which was sustained by the Monon company, $50,000 by the National Fruit Juice company, and the other $25,000 by the Terre Haute Brewing company and the owners of the houses and other property damaged by fire and water. Origin Unknown. Nothing is now known of the origin of the .fire. It is said that shortly before the fire was discovered a switch engine had been in the building, and it is thought that a spark from it might have ignited some of the inflammable material in the building and started the blaze. The blaze was discovered in the southeast comer of the building, and spread rapidly through great heaps of pine boxes, reaching bo the roof. It was the opinion of some that the fire originated from a defective electric wire, but Samuel Edwards, electrician with the Wolever Electric company, stated that the fire could not originate from that source. In connection with the origin of the fire, it is interesting to note that an attempt was made in the winter of 1918 to bum the building, in which the fire originated yesterday, and a great heap of fresh, oil-soaked waste was found burning against one of the doors on the east side of the building.