glenfire.html

The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., July 21, 1933, page1

HALF OF TOWN OF GLENWOOD SWEPT BY FLAMES
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Loss Placed at $25,000
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Fire Broke Out at 1 A.M. Wednesday - Elfred Trout First On Scene
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Hanson and Bleiler say they will rebuild.
Several Narrow Escapes Reported – One Man Overcome by Flames

GLENWOOD, WN., July 20 – Special. Fire swept the main business block of Glenwood at 1:15 a.m. Wednesday morning and completely consumed the Drug Store and Movie Hall owned by Ben Hanson; Mr. Bleiler’s Pool Hall, the Cramer Garage recently vacated by Don Simpson; the Cheese Factory and Barber Shop. The loss has been estimate at from $20,000 to $25,000.
Ben Hanson is the only person concerned who was fortunate enough to have insurance. He plans on rebuilding as does also Oscar Bleiler.
The fire apparently started in the rear of the Cramer Garage building as the blaze was confined to that particular structure when first discovered. The immediate families were aroused by Elfred Trout who quickly spread the alarm. The Ben Hanson family escaped just saving a few clothes. Mrs. Hanson who remained behind to try and save some bedding was forced to escape through a window and jump for her life as the roof of their building collapsed. She had just two days previous been ill in bed with the summer flu. A young man from Goldendale who was also striving to save things from the Drug Store was quite severely overcome by the flames and smoke fumes. Dr. Barber was called to attend him early in the morning and he was taken to White Salmon for an X-Ray picture of his lungs later.
Mr. Bleiler was aroused by cars passing with tooting horns and arrived up town to find his place of business entirely in flames as well as those adjoining it. He bears a heavy loss as he had no insurance. He optimistically plans on rebuilding.
Adjoining building were saved by the speedy application of water under pressure. Henry Hansen, Sr.’s house and wood shed caught several times but were extinguished. Two transient men were there to help them. Mr. Weck’s place was saved by the timely arrival of the water hose from the Parrott well. MacMillans had their place thoroughly wet down. And a volunteer brigade kept water on the stage barn from the irrigation ditch nearby. Other buildings were not in any immediate danger.
No insurance was carried by Ernest Gyger who owned the cheese factory equipment. The building occupied by him was part of the John Goodman property and was probably covered. Mr. Albert Bergland, the barber, who had recently moved to Lyle, had left part of his equipment in the barber shop as he returned each Sunday to keep open shop.
The garage building which up until recently had been occupied by Don Simpson, was owned by the Herman Cramer estate and was used by Mr. Gyger to store his trucks in. One truck, a Dodge Commercial, was in it at the time of the fire.
Mr. Gyger held a meeting Wednesday evening of the farmers in an attempt to rebuild on a co-operative basis. He demonstrates a plucky spirit in this move as his equipment as well as a large stock of cheese on hand had just been completely wiped out. In fact this is considered to be the most disastrous happening ever to have occurred in Glenwood. The night was still with absolutely no wind and all moving air was traveling toward the fire and up thus carrying the burning brands for miles, but no damage was done as a heavy dew fell almost immediately. These factors contribute greatly to the fact that the loss was no greater that it was as a heavy wind would have made it impossible to save nearby buildings.