Fire, originating in the second floor of the old Madras Hotel, evidently starting from a chimney which age had made defective, totally destroyed the hotel and practically all its contents, with several sheds and buildings which were in the rear of it including the livery stable operated by W.T. Steele, seriously damaged the apartment residence owned by Mansell Wheeler, caused much damage and inconvenience to the garage owned by Hood & Conroy, burned out several sections of side walk, demoralized light and phone service in the north end of Madras and for a time threatened to wipe out the entire business section if not the entire town, Monday afternoon.

The blaze was first discovered at 2:45, several people seeing it at about the same time. Before its discovery it had evidently been burning concealed between the ceiling and the roof for some little time and then broke into the open with a huge cloud of black smoke. The city fire department was quickly brought into play by volunteer workers who made excellent time and did splendid work in throwing such protection as the local water system affords quickly against the flames, and it is considered that their dispatch in this matter contributed forcefully to preventing the total destruction of the city.

When people rushed to the hotel, flames had already enveloped the roof and upper floor, and none were able to make the stairway as the flames were then being forced down the stairway. Within ten minutes, people on the lower floor throwing out such light articles as they quickly could, were forced to seek their own safety through the windows, the doors by that time being blocked by fire.

Bucket brigades formed at both the Wheeler house and along the Larkin buildings and fence south of the fire. Heroic work was done at both these places. On the Wheeler house Gib Long poured water from buckets, pots and pans through flames and smoke and when the fire was controlled discovered that his shoes had been burned off. Austin Culp, carrying water from the north lean-to along the cone of the main structure and tearing burning shingles off as he went, finally collapsed from the effects of the heat and smoke, and was assisted from the roof. Percy Lockwood went into the attic of the Wheeler house and stayed the fire through while man after man went in and then rushed out to safety.

Across the street on top of the Larkin shed sat A.D. Clink, flames from the burning hotel jumped across the open space and time and again enveloped him. He alternated buckets of water that were carried to him, pouring one on the burning roof and the next one over himself, but he never did leave the roof until the fire was under control. Many are the people in Madras who freely state that to Clink we owe the fact that the city is not now entirely in ashes. Along with Clink were Wes Baker and Ed Dodd, devoting their energy to preventing the high board fence to burning and when occasion required dashing to the assistance of Clink. Ray Moore at the Main Street Garage, though sick at the time, stayed with it until the fire was out, injuring his left arm severely and badly burning one of his hands. All who were at the fire, and we are informed that there was a multitude present, did what they could to assist. A D V E R T I S I N G | Continue reading below

Almost simultaneously with the hotel the livery barn was afire, and it was realized that there was no chance to save it. W.T. Steele, who was operating it was able to save his horses and some harness, losing considerable hay and personal effects in the fire. A complete blacksmithing outfit was destroyed, it being stored in a small shed between the hotel and the barn.

Herculean measures were necessary to save the Main Street Garage building, but it was successfully accomplished. Several used cars, machines and implements in the open space between the burning hotel and the garage building caught fire and when a tank partially full of gasoline exploded, setting fire to about fifteen cords of sixteen-inch wood piled against the south side of the garage building hopes of saving it became nearly exhausted. Both south doors were burned off and the wooden beams inside under the roof were badly scorched. Practically all of the stock and some of the fixtures had been moved out of the building. Sheets of flame from the hotel seethed over the side of the brick garage across the roof and the old wooden garage building forty feet north was on fire several times. Manager Conroy attributes the fact that the brick garage did not burn principally to this excellent construction and that the roof had recently been thoroughly treated to several coats of an asbestos, fire proofing roofing paint.

The loss at the hotel is figured at approximately $15,000. The building was owned by F. Zogg of Prineville and the equipment and furniture by Mrs. W.F. Johnson of Madras. The Wheeler house is damaged probably to the extent of $1500, while Mr. and Mrs. Wheeler will also lose considerable in furniture etc. damaged when it was being removed from the building. The loss of W.T. Steele in the livery barn will probably be under $500 while Hood & Conroy will undoubtedly suffer a loss in excess of $1000. Roomers in the Madras Hotel lost everything they had in their rooms. Several of them lost money and all lost their clothes and personnel effects.

It is the usual thing here for the wind blow from the north or northwest. An act of providence it certainly was that the wind on this day was from the southwest, the only wind of that nature that has blown in Madras for months.

September 25, 1947 A D V E R T I S I N G | Continue reading below

Phil Farrell, manager of the Jefferson County Supply cooperative, which serves Central Oregon from Redmond headquarters, while here Wednesday of last week announced that Ralph Freisen had delivered to the cooperative's seed cleaning plant at Metolius the first Ladino clover seed grown in Jefferson County. Farrell said that the seed seemed plumper and of better quality than any seen in Oregon. Freisen has applied for certification on his 15-acre tract near Culver.

"In case the tract qualifies for the blue tag of certification," Farrell said, "the Jefferson County cooperative association, the local retail affiliate of the Pacific supply cooperative, and the latter will advance Freisen $1.65 per pound for the Ladino seed in a seed pool the organizations are operating for seed growers of the area."

Farrell said Freisen is just starting his harvest which indicates a yield of around 300 pounds of the Ladino seed per acre. Kenneth E. Duling has a large tract of Ladino, which he is just beginning to harvest. Indications are that his yield per acre will be substantially higher than Freisen's.

Farrell reported that Leach & Merchant, Culver ranchers, had delivered to the Metolius cleaning plant the first alsike clover from Jefferson County.

50 YEARS AGO A D V E R T I S I N G | Continue reading below

Last Friday at the Kah-Nee-Ta Lodge, following a luncheon speech to the Oregon Association of Broadcasters' Conference, Senator Mark Hatfield presented Olney Patt Sr., Warm Springs tribal council chairman, with a pen symbolic of the one used by President Nixon in signing the McQuinn Strip Bill.

Last minute arrangements were made for the presentation after it was learned that late Thursday the President had signed the bill which returns approximately 61,000 acres to the Confederated Tribes.

Three tribal chief, Amos Simtustus, Nelson Wallulatum and Raymond Johnson; General Manager Ken Smith; and Council Vice-Chairman Delbert Frank were also at the meeting for the presentation.

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