Ware Barn Burns01.

Waupaca Post

October 3, 1907

J.M. WARE’S BARN BURNED

For the third time within fifteen years, John M. Ware has lost a barn by fire. On Monday afternoon his new barn, erected last year, and not et entirely finished, burned to the ground, together with a large amount of hay, grain in bundles, harnesses, machinery, etc., and his last season’s crop of tobacco. With the barn went the silo which was finished only last week, though fortunately it was empty.

The total loss is about $5,500, with insurance of about $3,300.

Mr. Ware and his men were setting up the ensilage cutter outside of the barn, at about 2 o’clock, when the flames burst from the upper part of the south half of the barn. The origin of the fire can only be conjectured. No one had been in that part of the barn for more than two hours before the blaze was discovered, and no one had been in any part of the barn for an hour and a half before. It is possible that spontaneous combustion occurred in the hay mow.

With the help of the neighbors, the sheds which adjoined the barn were saved by a bucket brigade, and Mr. Ware will use them as temporary shelter for his cattle during the winter, as he did two years ago. His big round barn burned two years ago tomorrow, and fifteen years ago, the first fire occurred, when his barn and contents went up in smoke.

Waupaca Republican

October 4, 1907

SUSTAINS ANOTHER FIRE

J.M. Ware fifteen years ago lost his first barn by fire. Then he built the finest round barn in the State. Just two years ago today while filling a silo in the center of the barn friction caused a fire which destroyed the barn and contents. The past summer Mr. Ware had completed a fine new barn and filled it with hay and grain. Mr. Ware had a silo which he was erecting blown down by a tornado in June and he just finished rebuilding the same last week Monday he and his hired men were setting up an ensilage cutter preparatory to fill the silo which was away from the barn and looking up saw smoke issuing from the upper south half of the barn; supposedly caused by spontaneous combustion in the hay or grain. The barn and contents which included some harness and farm machinery also the silo was all destroyed entailing a loss of probably $6,000 with insurance of only half the amount. As no one had been in the barn for two hours or over before the fire it is thought the fire could not have started in any other way than by spontaneous combustion. The neighbors saved a number of sheds built after the last fire which was fortunate, but the fire was a most unwelcome visitor and Mr. Ware has the sympathy of the public over his terrible misfortune.