RUNS & WORKERS - PART 4

Photo: Allen County Historical Society

- In 1945, fire struck the Milner Hotel in downtown Lima, claiming two lives and causing many injuries. Firefighters were hampered by poor water supply. Catastrophic hotel fires were all-too-common across the U.S. in the 1940s, prompting safety reforms. Maintenance had been neglected during the Great Depression and World Wat Two. Early 20th Century hotel designs also allowed for rapid fire spread with open stairwells.  

-On Jan. 10, 1982, a major fire "burned through the hospital wing" of the Ohio Masonic Home in Springfield, according to the Associated Press. Firefighters were hampered by intense flames inside and frozen equipment outside. The fire injured 30 people, including four firefighters. The facility has a long history. The cornerstone of Ohio Masonic Home’s original building was placed in 1892.

- On Oct. 13, 1946, a refrigerated railroad freight car smashed into the lobby of the Frances Hotel in downtown Springfield, Ohio. There were no serious injuries. The car was one of three that derailed from a New York Central train, according to an Associated Press report printed in the Telegraph newspaper of Nashua, New Hampshire. The accident caused damage estimated at $100,000 by William Wendl, manager of the hotel, according to an AP dispatch in the Baltimore Sun. A wrecking crane removed the car from the lobby.

- The Victoria Advocate, a newspaper in Texas, printed an Associated Press dispatch on May 7, 1960 from Springfield, Ohio: "The guest of honor, Raymond Beaty, was left by himself when a fire interrupted his retirement dinner. But Beaty understood. He was a city fireman for 17 years and his farewell dinner was being held in No.6 Engine House when it was interrupted by a general alarm factory fire."

- On the night of Oct. 21-22, 1958, a "fire bug menace" struck the southside of Springfield, according to an Associated Press dispatch published in the Youngstown Vindicator. Fire Chief Willard Compton said fires were set at Springfield South High School, an autobody shop and four garages. "All available policemen and firemen were called," AP said. 

- On June 2, 1873, the shops of the Springfield Agricultural Works went up in flames. The agricultural works - a plant that encompassed 80,000 feet of floor - ``were almost totally destroyed by fire, just when most needed to get out work for the fall trade,'' according to Beer's 1881 history of Clark County. The shops, which manufactured grain drills, cultivators and cider-mills were ``rebuilt at once.' 

- On April 1, 1905, a freight car from the Detroit Southern Railroad jumped the tracks and smashed into the boiler room at the Thomas Stationary Co., causing the Springfield plant's "huge smokestack to tumble to the ground," according to a dispatch printed in The Hudson Independent newspaper of Hudson, Ohio. There were no serious injuries, but some workers "were prevented with difficulty from jumping from the windows," the dispatch said.

- As crews battled a fire at The Peter A. Boggan Co. on Jan. 11, 1932, a floor collapsed ``endangering the lives of the firemen and the chief who were in the basement,'' The Springfield Daily News reported. They escaped without serious injury from the store, which was located at 34 East Main Street, Springfield.