GOES UP IN SMOKE.

MANUAL TRAINING SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL AT MENOMONIE BURNED.

Menomonie, Wis., Feb. 2. -- [Special.] -- The buildings of the Menomonie high school and the Stout manual training school were destroyed by fire this morning at about 4 o'clock. The engineer started a fire in the furnace of the Stout building and then proceeded to the high school building, a few feet distant, to start the fires there.
When he returned to the Stout building the furnace room was a mass of flames, which quickly communicated with the elevator shaft and in an incredibly short time the structure was in ruins. The high school building rapidly met a like fate. Both were wooden structures. Nothing much of value was saved from either building. Eight streams of water played upon the fierce furnace, but without appreciable effect.
The high school building was worth $30,000 and was insured for $12,000. It was an old school of ten rooms.
The Stout building was owned by Senator STOUT and with its contents was worth $100,000; insurance $40,000. The training school was 60x130 feet, three stories high and the finest in the West. It was built in 1893.
The buildings were the pride of the city and deep sympathy is felt for MR. STOUT. The senator stated this morning that the buldings would be rebuilt, better than ever.

The Centralia Enterprise and Tribune Wisconsin 1897-02-06

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Researched and Transcribed by Stu Beitler. Thank you, Stu!