SDP45
May 4th, 2008, 10:57 PM
I posted this elsewhere, but thought about sharing it with folks here too.
I've been looking through old issues of the Coulee City paper and came across this:
From the Coulee City News, Coulee City, WA, Friday 8-1-1947
Fire Destroys Bitco Plant Here Tuesday
A spectacular fire Tuesday night (July 29) virtually destroyed the
plant and equipment of Bitco, Inc. No immediate estimate of the
amount of damage was available. Cause of the fire was unknown.
The fire was discovered about 9:30 pm Tuesday by three men on the
night shift at Bitco.
Clyde Welker, local manager for Bitco, said he attempted to turn in
the alarm by telephone but got only a busy signal when dialing the
fire department number. The alarm was finally turned in by a passerby
who drove downtown to turn in the alarm.
The plant, housed in the old Northern Pacific roundhouse building,
was blazing from end to end by the time the fire fighting equipment arrived.
There was an additional delay in getting water on the flames because
of lack of sufficient hose to reach the fire hydrant on Main street,
three blocks away.
The Welker residence, only a few feet from the plant, was not
damaged. Electrical service throughout the town was interrupted for a
few minutes during the fire.
Bitco, with head offices in Wallace, Ida., was engaged in tool
sharpening operations, and handled tool sharpening for the Bureau of
Reclamation and all major contractors on the Columbia Basin project
except Connelly and Winston-Utah companies. Thirteen people were
employed by Bitco here.
Welker said Wednesday that the loss was at least partially covered by
insurance. He said decision on reestablishment of the plant here
would by made by Bitco officials later.
I've been looking through old issues of the Coulee City paper and came across this:
From the Coulee City News, Coulee City, WA, Friday 8-1-1947
Fire Destroys Bitco Plant Here Tuesday
A spectacular fire Tuesday night (July 29) virtually destroyed the
plant and equipment of Bitco, Inc. No immediate estimate of the
amount of damage was available. Cause of the fire was unknown.
The fire was discovered about 9:30 pm Tuesday by three men on the
night shift at Bitco.
Clyde Welker, local manager for Bitco, said he attempted to turn in
the alarm by telephone but got only a busy signal when dialing the
fire department number. The alarm was finally turned in by a passerby
who drove downtown to turn in the alarm.
The plant, housed in the old Northern Pacific roundhouse building,
was blazing from end to end by the time the fire fighting equipment arrived.
There was an additional delay in getting water on the flames because
of lack of sufficient hose to reach the fire hydrant on Main street,
three blocks away.
The Welker residence, only a few feet from the plant, was not
damaged. Electrical service throughout the town was interrupted for a
few minutes during the fire.
Bitco, with head offices in Wallace, Ida., was engaged in tool
sharpening operations, and handled tool sharpening for the Bureau of
Reclamation and all major contractors on the Columbia Basin project
except Connelly and Winston-Utah companies. Thirteen people were
employed by Bitco here.
Welker said Wednesday that the loss was at least partially covered by
insurance. He said decision on reestablishment of the plant here
would by made by Bitco officials later.