Hoosier Crown -1940
Source: Lafayette Journal &
Courier Thu 11 July 1940 p 1
Crawfordsville July 11 – Firemen
continued today to battle flames which last night razed the Hoosier Crown
Corporation plant with an estimated loss of $50,000. Two persons were injured. Fire broke out around 11:30 o’clock last
night in the plant, which manufacturers bottle caps and spread rapidly through
the single-story brick structure. James
Shumate, employee, and Robert Delph, volunteer fireman, were cut on the arms by
glass while attempting to carry equipment from the blazing building. Fire Chief
Elmer Woods said two theories existed as to the original of the fire – one that
a dust explosion caused it and the other that it started in a laboratory
adjoining the cork storage room. RP
Smith, corporation president said the loss largely was covered by insurance. He
asserted an attempt would be made to get a new building immediately in order to
resume operations. The first employs 50 persons, men and women. The night shift
was in the plant when the fire started. It ran so rapidly through the building
the women employees were unable to get their purses from locker rooms. - kbz