On Oct. 21, 1908, fire destroyed a five-story grain elevator at the Hungarian Mills at Seventh Street and Wazee streets in Denver's lower downtown.
The plant was named for a milling process developed in Hungary.
Flames were beyond the reach of Denver Fire Department hose lines and roared out of control for an hour, according to the Herald Democrat of Leadville. "The height of the building made it difficult to throw water to the top," the newspaper said.
As the mill burned, the office staff rescued the books and workers struggled to save anything that wasn't nailed down.
The Nov. 25, 1908 edition of Fire Engineering magazine said:
"When Chief T. F. Owens and the department arrived on the scene, they found that the fire, which had been set in the wagon shed and had spread thence to the bottom of an air-flue, was blazing furiously. It had made its way up the flue and involved 75 ft. of the roof."
The magazine said the bulk of the city's fire apparatus responded:
"The alarm brought to the spot six engines a Continental, a Silsby, an American LaFrance and 3 Metropolitan — with, of course, hose wagons and aerial and other trucks.
"The apparatus kept throwing continuously nineteen streams (four being hydrant) through 7,750 ft. of cotton, rubber-lined hose, which was of such first rate quality that it withstood the heavy strain on it for so long a time without one single length showing the slightest sign of weakness.
"Besides the ordinary 1 1/4-in. nozzles used, there were also brought to bear upon the flames streams from an Eastman Deluge set and two Hart nozzles ... the water supply is gravity, furnished by the Denver Union Waterworks company."
Fire also visited the Hungarian Mills on March 7, 1899, "rendering nearly valueless 500 bushels of wheat," the Leadville Herald Democrat reported. The fire originated in a dust room. "The work of the firemen was retarded by frozen water pipes," the newspaper said.
Fires also struck the Hungarian Mills on Nov. 21, 1930, April 27, 1943, Dec. 21, 1949 and Oct. 26, 1952.
As the mill burned, the office staff rescued the books and workers struggled to save anything that wasn't nailed down.
The Nov. 25, 1908 edition of Fire Engineering magazine said:
"When Chief T. F. Owens and the department arrived on the scene, they found that the fire, which had been set in the wagon shed and had spread thence to the bottom of an air-flue, was blazing furiously. It had made its way up the flue and involved 75 ft. of the roof."
The magazine said the bulk of the city's fire apparatus responded:
"The alarm brought to the spot six engines a Continental, a Silsby, an American LaFrance and 3 Metropolitan — with, of course, hose wagons and aerial and other trucks.
"The apparatus kept throwing continuously nineteen streams (four being hydrant) through 7,750 ft. of cotton, rubber-lined hose, which was of such first rate quality that it withstood the heavy strain on it for so long a time without one single length showing the slightest sign of weakness.
"Besides the ordinary 1 1/4-in. nozzles used, there were also brought to bear upon the flames streams from an Eastman Deluge set and two Hart nozzles ... the water supply is gravity, furnished by the Denver Union Waterworks company."
Fire also visited the Hungarian Mills on March 7, 1899, "rendering nearly valueless 500 bushels of wheat," the Leadville Herald Democrat reported. The fire originated in a dust room. "The work of the firemen was retarded by frozen water pipes," the newspaper said.
Fires also struck the Hungarian Mills on Nov. 21, 1930, April 27, 1943, Dec. 21, 1949 and Oct. 26, 1952.
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