Huge brick plant fire

100 YEARS AGO

(1912)

Fire discovered in the plant of the Fort Scott Brick and Tile Company last night at 7:55 did damage variously estimated at from $25,000 to $30,000 before it was brought under control. The plant will be put out of operation and many of the 80 or more employees thrown out of work until it can be rebuilt, which at the most conservative estimate will be two months from the time the insurance adjustments are made. The company has suffered a large financial loss, as all of their output, with the mill working at its capacity, had been contracted ahead until January 1st, with enough orders ahead to ensure continuing operation for months in the new year. It is impossible to yet tell the financial loss suffered by the company in the burning of the plant, as it will be some time before the loss of machinery in the burned buildings can be assessed.

The origin of the fire remains a mystery and will probably never be determined. The blaze started in the brick room and gained such a headway that a part of the roof had fallen in before the department arrived. Firefighters remained at the scene to prevent a spread to the other buildings. One of the hoses was left there to prevent any spread of the fire should a wind raise and the blaze start up again. The plant is one of the largest industrial plants in the city, having more than 80 employees at all times. The plant had a capacity of 50,000 bricks daily.

75 YEARS AGO

(1937)

The WPA women's sewing room has been moved to the old post office building at First Street and Scott Avenue and the women are resuming their regular work at the new location. The sewing machines and cutting tables have been placed on the ground floor.

The sewing room had previously done its work in the Stout Building at the northwest corner of Oak Street and National Avenue. Also, on the same floor, is the old postmaster's office, Miss Morna Johnson, supervisor of the local WPA adult education projects, Mrs. Alice Chumlea, sewing room time keeper, and Mrs. Ed Burch, sewing room supervisor, will have their offices.

There are 40 women employed at the WPA sewing room at this time, 33 of them white women and two of them colored. In addition there are two men, a cobbler and custodian.

50 YEARS AGO

(1962)

Editorial:

In months to come we will be hearing more about municipal planning as a joint venture between the city, county and school district. This is a subject long in the minds of civic leaders here. The needs for planning have been felt, but the approach has been difficult to make. Now it is being made, and the first steps being taken. An engineering firm has been employed and we are hearing the first reports of what community planning really involves.

Good planning, we are given to understand, has to come from the grass roots of public opinion and understanding.

People of the community need to have a part in the study of their own problems and deciding what course to take in light of the information that is gathered.

We may decide at the beginning that we are in for a good deal of hard work as citizens if we want to get the best out of community planning. The job is described to us as a sort of "do-it-yourself thing, with the help of engineers trained in civic planning."

25 YEARS AGO

(1987)

No publication.