Milwaukee, WI Planing Mill Fire Sept 1883

PLANING MILLS DESTROYED.
A $200,000 FIRE IN THE MENOMONEE VALLEY, WISCONSIN.
MILWAUKEE, Sept. 30.--A fire broke out at 8 o'clock this morning in the large planing mills of the Conway Manufacturing Company in the Menomonee Valley, and in two hours $200,000 worth of property had been destroyed. The buildings consisted of a two-story warehouse at the eastern extremity of the plant, 60 by 120 feet, filled with finished stock. Adjoining, on the west, was the brick planing mill, three stories high, 80 by 120 feet. In the north-east corner of this building, on the first floor, were the offices of the company. The building contained all the machinery and a large amount of unfinished stock. In the rear was the engine and boiler room. Adjoining the planing mill on the west was a one-story frame building, 70 by 100 feet, containing machinery and stock. To the west of this were five dry kilns which were filled with valuable hard-wood lumber. Each of these kilns was 16 by 75 feet and 20 feet high. To the west of them was a storing shed 18 by 140 feet. West of this was the barn, 40 by 20 feet, containing five horses, which were rescued. The brick planing mill was owned by the Rogers estate, and the other buildings by the Conway Company. The loss on the planing mill building in $10,000; on the Conway Company's buildings, $75,000; on the machinery. $60,000, and the balance is on the stock. The works employed about 250 men, and all lose their tools. When first seen by the watchman the fire was breaking out of the roof of the main building. The loss is nearly $200,000, and the insurance $94,000. The front walls tumbled in on a passing freight train, and three men were badly injured. Two of them will in all probability die. Two firemen were seriously injured.
The New York Times, New York, NY 1 Oct 1883

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