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       You have accessed a Web page posted and maintained by the Klamath County Museums in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
       This file contains the text of two newspaper stories published July 16, 1917, in the Evening Herald of Klamath Falls, Oregon.
       The text in this file was keyboarded in February 2007 by museum volunteer Holly Owens.
       Note: These articles make frequent reference to the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.). For more information on this organization and it's often-violent history, see article on Web site hosted by Wayne State University's Reuther Library.
       Photocopies of the newspaper articles are available for $1 each, plus a handling fee of $5. Send checks to: Klamath County Museum, 1451 Main St., Klamath Falls, OR 97601.

The Evening Herald

Klamath Falls, Oregon, Monday, July 16, 1917

Midnight Fire Stuns City

People Aroused To Danger of I.W.W.

Martin Brothers Big Flour Plant Is Destroyed By Fire

“Sabotage of I.W.W. Commences Here”

Hardest Blow Ever Received By City Is Perpetrated In The Burning Of Industry -- Attempt To Burn Lower Mill Section Is Narrowly Prevented. Cannot Rebuild In Time To Handle This Year’s Crop.

     Utterly a heap of smoldering ruins, Martins Brothers flour mill, one of the prominent industries and pay rolls of the city, today gives evidence of the dastardly work of the I.W.W. harbored in this community. A loss of $50,000 to Martin brothers, a year’s food supply for the entire county at a time of national shortage, rendering it impossible to grind this year’s wheat, makes this by far the worst blow ever struck this community, and one of the most fiendish recorded in the blood-curdling act perpetrated all over the country at this time.

     That there was a deliberate attempt on the part of the I.W.W. To destroy the whole lower mill section of the city, which includes the Ewauna Box company, Big Lakes Lumber company, Klamath Iron Works, Standard Oil yards, there seems to be no doubt from evidence secured since.

     The fire is believed to have been first reported by C.F. Setzer of Mills Addition, who saw the flames break through the roof from his home and notified the fire department immediately, but such a start had been gained before it could arrive on the scene that it was impossible to get it under control. In about two hours the entire mill was in ruins, and it was only through the heroic efforts of the department that the surrounding industries were saved.

     The loss of the mill and supplies is estimated at $150,000. The amount of insurance has not been announced.

     The plant was a 75-barrel daily capacity mill. It has been in operation since 1909. The company was capitalized at $48,000. S.E. Martin was president, C.J. Martin vice president, and John Martin secretary and treasurer. Three hundred and fifty thousand dollars worth of flour were ground each year and nine men were employed in the mill. A new, expensive motor was installed last week.

     Several men worked very late at the Big Lakes Box company across the street, and the fire broke out shortly after their departure. It is believed that the wretches who fired the mill waited until the men across the street left before commencing their work.

     It is believed that the slight shower of the early evening saved the adjoining lumber yards destruction for the sparks and embers were carried across by the thousands.

    The roof of the office of the Big Lakes Lumber company caught fire twice, but was extinguished before it had gained headway.

Klamath Falls, Oregon, Monday, July 16, 1917

Citizens of Klamath Have Taken Stand To Wipe Out Menace

Rally To Pressing Need Of Community Without Delay

     Large Crowd Of Men Offer Services And Are Sworn In As Deputies To Aid Local Officials In Work Of Rounding Up I.W.W. -- All Suspicious Characters Are Taken In. Roads To City Guarded.

     Paralyzed at first by the audacity of the fiends who burned the Martin mill, men all over the city quickly awoke to the necessity of immediate and strenuous action to prevent a repetition of the infamous deed by putting all those who were thought to be leagued in the I.W.W. Movement where they would be secure for the time being, and by the middle of the forenoon nearly a hundred deputy sheriffs had been sworn in at the city hall, extra guards put at all the mills and factories and nearly all the roads were being patrolled for suspicious looking characters. Before noon several of the ringleaders of the I.W.W. were safely locked in the cells of the police station, and by the middle of the afternoon nearly thirty had been taken in.

     Not the slightest doubt appeared in the mind of anyone as to the source of the fire. A. Stiplen, a laborer of this city, who is well and favorably known declared before a group of officers and citizens in the mayor’s office yesterday that he was approached about 9 o’clock Saturday evening by members of the I.W.W. and invited to attend their meeting, and that he accepted their invitation.

     Arrived there, he found only a few men, but evidence of a great deal of whiskey. He was asked to get “lined up” with the organization, and refused with the statement that he was too patriotic to join such a body in times like these. The members then voiced their surprise that an intelligent man such as he appeared to be, held patriotic sentiments, and affirmed that this was the time to strike, when there was a chance of success.

     Stiplin declared further that there were German spies now at work in the box factories of the city.

     New I.W.W. suspects continued to be picked up by the different patrols around the city. Between thirty-five and forty are now being held. On twelve or fifteen the I.W.W. membership cards were found. The men have been picked up in all sections. With the membership list found at the headquarters yesterday to guide them, the officers and deputies are leaving no stone unturned to corral all who are believed to have any connection with the disturbers.

     John Finnell has been appointed United States deputy Marshall and attorney J.H. Carnahan United States deputy Attorney by District Attorney Clarence Reames of Portland.

      Two secret service men who have been here for some time were of great assistance to the sheriff.

     Among the correspondence secured yesterday at the raid made in I.W.W. headquarters were instructions for the local officers to cache all papers etc., relating to the work of the organization, at some point outside the headquarters. This order had evidently not been complied with at the time of the raid.

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