OCR Text |
Show Fire Causes Damage Estimated At Over $1000 Fire believed to have been the result of spontaneous combustion wreaked havoc late Wednesday afternoon at the farm of John H. Schmutz, causing more than $1000 damage to barns, hay, grain and machinery. The May crop of hay had been ground as it was brought in from the field and deposited in the large barn which had two large tin-roofed side sheds, fitted with a full line of mangers for feeding. feed-ing. It is assumed the hay may not have been entirely dry and combustion occurred about 3:30 p. m. Sixty bushels of newly threshed wheat in a double bed wagon, an expensive manure spreader and other equipment went up in the flames, the large tractor being saved with only slight damage. The grain bin was being re-roofed and for that reason the load of grain was in the barn temporarily. tempor-arily. Several sacks of grain near the barn were saved. The men had worked in the (Continued on page eight) John Schmutz Fire (Continued from first page) beet seed all forenoon leaving the farm at 3 p. m. Wilford Schmutz had passed the barn ten minutes earlier and noticed no fire or smoke until he reached his own land at some distance. The fire alarm was sent in and the St. George fire equipment hastened to the rescue, but it was impossible impos-sible to save the barn or hay which continued to burn until a late hour Wednesday night. Recognizing it as a big loss, Mr. Schmutz and family still rejoice that it was nobody's home, and expressed appreciation for the loyal service of the fire crew and neighbors. |