South Seattle Blaze Destroys Mill
A major fire swept through the Reitze-Stetson sash and door factory in South Seattle early this morning, causing $21,000 in damages and leaving the mill in ruins.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
The Reitze-Stetson sash and door factory, owned by the Newell Mill Company, was destroyed by fire between 12 and 1 o'clock this morning. The blaze, which started near the boiler room, spread with incredible speed due to a strong southeast wind, consuming the factory, the drying house, and the cedar mill. Night watchman A.C. Tarsoiis discovered the fire, but despite efforts to save the property, the buildings were reduced to ashes. The loss is estimated at $21,000, with $9,000 in insurance, while a significant stock of lumber went uninsured.
“In less than ten minutes the sash and door factory had been attacked, and as the sound of the fire apparatus was heard in the distance the red light broke out from the dry house.”
Fires were a constant threat in early Seattle's industrial hubs, which were often built rapidly of wood near the waterfront. Today, the industrial district in South Seattle remains a key manufacturing zone, though fire codes and materials have shifted drastically.
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