The J.W. Howry and Sons Mill Yard Fire, June 19, 1896

“The Largest Blaze Ever Witnessed in Fenelon Falls”

J.W. Howry and Sons of Saginaw, Michigan was one of the largest and best-known lumber companies of the Great Lakes region. Beginning in July 1894, they operated R.C. Smith’s Red Mill in Fenelon Falls (located where Sobeys is located today) on a lease, being the largest sawmill in the upper Kawartha Lakes region.

On June 19, 1896 a fire started in Paul Sova’s stable around 8 pm, and soon spread into J.W. Howry and Sons mill yard, quickly becoming “the largest blaze ever witnessed in Fenelon Falls,” as it leaped from pile to pile. That night, the light could be seen twenty miles away and W.T. Junkin recalled “you could see to read a newspaper on the Church Hill [across town] at midnight as plainly as in daylight.” By 10 pm Lindsay’s fire brigade and volunteer citizens had arrived by special train, and an hour later the Peterborough engine and fire brigade had joined the struggle. Boyd dispatched Bobcaygeon’s firemen and engine by the steamer Esturion. L.H. Swan collapsed during the struggle: accounts differed as to the cause—either exhaustion or a falling plank. The fire engines and villagers managed to contain the fire to the property, save the mill and about half the lumber in the yard. A loaded locomotive was pulled out of the yard, saving it from destruction. The men formed a break in the yard by taking down piles of lumber and throwing them in the river. But they also ignited—part was consumed, the balance so badly charred that it was useless. All told, the loss was between ten and twelve million feet of lumber, almost five million shingles, three million laths, three thousand cords of wood, several small rail cars, and some loaded Grand Trunk flats—all told worth between $220,000 and $250,000, only partly insured. This catastrophe brought down the Howry firm, with their creditors taking over operations in July.

From the Fenelon Falls Gazette, June 26, 1896:

Terrific fire at Howry’s

Messrs. J.W. Howry’s piling ground in this village is bounded on one side by the Fenelon River and on the other (for part of its length) by Greene Street, and one of the residents of that street is Mr. Paul Sova, at the rear end of whose lot stood a small stable, in which a fire broke out from some unknown cause about 8 o’clock last Friday evening. A few minutes later the nearest pile of lumber was in flames, and the instant they were seen the usual alarms were given and nearly all the men and boys in the village able to render assistance hastened to the spot. The hoses were attached to the force-pumps at Howry’s mill and at Sandford’s factory as quickly as possible, and the streams of water they threw prevented the fire form backing up towards the buildings, but it soon got out of their reach in the other direction, and leaped form pile to pile with startling rapidity. A very few minutes after the alarm was given it was evident that a great conflagration was inevitable, and appeals for help were sent to Lindsay, Peterborough, Bobcaygeon and Port Hope, and were responded to by all but the last named place. Lindsay has no engine but sent down by rail about a thousand feet of hose and a detachment of their fire brigade, and a large number of the residents of the town accompanied them, the train, consisting of a locomotive, two flat cars, a van and a passenger coach making the distance in a trifle over a quarter of an hour. Some time later a special train arrived from Peterborough with a splendid steam fire engine, and a quantity of hose, and this engine, stationed at the east end of yard no. 1, and assisted by the Lindsay and Peterborough teams and a strong bucket brigade, succeeded in preventing the fire form spreading to yards 2 and 3. Some time after dark the Esturion came from Bobcaygeon with a powerful steam fire engine owned by that village, and ran up the river to a point near the sawmill, and the men who accompanied the engine kept the steam up, ready for instant action, but as it happened, her services were not needed. In the bank of the river a quarter of a mile or more below the red mill there is a small gully, and here the fire was delayed so long that if the Bobcaygeon engines had arrived an hour or so earlier a great deal more of the contents of the yard might have been saved. As it was, between ten and twelve million feet of lumber, nearly five million shingles, three million laths, and three thousand cords of wood were burned, together with several small carls owned by the firm, and Grand Trunk Co.’s flats laden with lumber. The stock burned was principally 1 ¼, 1 1/2, and 2 inch selected pine put out for export, and most of it was sold to be shipped as soon as dry. During the fire Howry’s locomotive pulled out a train of loaded cars, thus saving them from destruction, and the employees of the company worked manfully to save the lumber, and prevent the spread of the flames to adjacent property. A gap was made in the piles above where the fire started by pulling down a considerable quantity of lumber and throwing it into the river, where it formed a sort of raft, but becoming ignited by falling sparks, part was totally destroyed, and the remainder converted into a charred and worthless mass as it slowly floated downstream. The loss is estimated by the large sum of from $220,000 to $240,000, and we are glad to hear that it is entirely covered by insurance. The fire formed until past midnight a magnificent spectacle that was viewed with admiration and awe by a large number of persons assembled at various points, but we hope never to see it like again in Fenelon Falls or anywhere else. Fortunately a light wind was blowing from the west, and the falling sparks were carried from instead of towards the company’s buildings and the village. The mill, which was only shut down until Saturday evening, will run night and day during the season, and the railroad tracks which are badly damaged, are being rebuilt as rapidly as possible.”