Powell Plant is destroyed by Fire

This story was published by the Daily Ypsilanti Press on Wednesday, January 8 1913. The first fire of 1913 occurred this morning, Charles W. Powell, waking up about quarter before three o’clock, was startled by clouds of fire streaming up to the south of his house. Judging that it was the Ypsilanti Garment company’s plant, he hastily telephoned for the fire department. Mrs. Powell meanwhile discovered, however, that the blaze proceeded from their own new tire setting plant, which is just east of the garment factory. There was no hope whatever of saving the building or contents, for when the fire department came out of the station they could see the reflection of the fire and the building was practically gone. There being no wind the fire did not extend to other buildings around, and the garment company’s plant was not damaged The building was a small frame structure built by Mr. Powell for his tire setting work and for work in pressed steel. It was 14 x 20 and was built only last fall, so had never been regularly occupied as yet. It was filled worth machinery and tools and these were entirely ruined. A surprising circumstance is the fact the burning of so small a building would create heat enough to work such complete destruction. The building has been insured with the last two or three weeks for $1200, so that the loss sustained is pretty well covered. It stood on land leased for the Ypsilanti Garment Co.