Fire Destroys $50,000 Worth of Cotton Bales

Dallas Morning News
Tuesday, 13 July 1965
Section 1, Page 1
By Hugh Aynesworth

News Staff Writer

FORNEY, Texas – Fire of undetermined origin swept through a cotton storage plant here Monday afternoon, destroying about $50,000 worth of cotton linters and sending flames high enough to be seen 10 miles away.

The fire broke out about 4:45 p.m., and was controlled about two hours later – though it burned throughout the night. 

The cotton was owned by a Dallas cotton broker, Dan Sheffield, who made the estimate that about “1,200 bales” were lost, worth about “$48,000 to $50,000.”

About a third of the cotton was in the building, with the rest strung along the tracks. 

Sheffield said Ray Adams, manager of the Forney Cotton Warehouses, called him in Dallas and told him of the blaze shortly after it was discovered. 

“I could see the smoke from Big Town,” Sheffield said.

Volunteer firemen from Forney – along with help from Seagoville, Mesquite and Terrell – battled the inferno – less than 10 yards from the Texas & Pacific Railroad tracks.

Destroyed was an aged red-brick depot formerly used by the railroad, but leased to Sheffield in recent years. 

Adams said he was working on his farm – six miles away – when he heard about the blaze and saw huge billows of smoke in the sky. 

Sheffield said all but about $2,500 of the loss would be covered by insurance. He said this particular cotton had come from Mexico, El Paso and Vernon and was being stored for later delivery to other parts of the nation. 

Forney Fire Chief Harold Roberson said he thought his entire 27-man department reported before the fire was controlled. He could not immediately determine the origin of the fire.