This day in Mohawk Valley history: February 23, 1907

Little Falls NY, c. 1890. Library of Congress.

BAD FIRE IN LITTLE FALLS.

Lovenheim Building Occupied by Shoddy Co., Totally Destroyed.

Little Falls suffered from a disastrous fire last night. The L. N. Lovenheim building was totally destroyed, together with the machinery and stock of the C. W. Becker Shoddy Manufacturing Company which occupied the building.

The loss is estimated at $35,000, the loss of Mr. Lovenheim on building being $10,000 and that of the Becker company $25,000.

The fire broke out on the second floor. Three alarms were sent in and the firemen made a quick response but so rapidly did the fire spread that when the department arrived the building was a seething furnace.

The efforts of the firemen were confined to keeping the flames from spreading to adjoining buildings and in this they were successful. Three hydrants were found frozen and this handicapped the work of fighting the flames somewhat.

The night force of the Becker company were at work when the fire broke out but all were able to leave the burning structure without injury. The building was a three story brick structure and recently erected.

This is the third time that the Lovenheim building has been on fire. Mr. Lovenheim carried an insurance of $3,000 on the building and the Becker company’s insurance amounts to $2,000.

A large number of men are thrown out of employment by the fire, which is supposed to have originated in one of the garnet machines.

NOTE: $35,000 in 1907 is valued at a $6,965,517.68 construction loss today.

Source: New York State Historic Newspapers