SNOHOMISH — As the 1940s unfolded, there was a feeling of hope and optimism spreading throughout the country, albeit with some concern as war raged in Europe. Prosperity emerged as aspects of the Great Depression of the 1930s quickly faded.
By 1940, signs of prosperity could be seen everywhere in Snohomish. In 1939, nearly 20 new homes were built around town, while many more were coming to completion in 1940. Four new residences had been built on Pine Avenue south of Second Street, and more were springing up in the central part of the city. A set of homes were under construction near Third Street and Avenue J, as well as eight comfortable court cottages were being completed at Second Street and Avenue E.
Prosperity would also come to the Snohomish Fire Department in 1940, with the delivery of a new fire engine on March 12 built by the Kenworth Truck Corporation of Seattle. The new pumper would replace the department’s 1923 Stutz engine. Besides being 17 years old, the Stutz, which was Snohomish’s first motorized pumper, was becoming harder to maintain, especially since the Stutz company had folded in 1929. According to a report in the Tribune at the time, Fire Chief Ed Hinkley said the old pumper was just becoming “unreliable.”
Powered by a 150-horsepower motor, the Kenworth was capable of pumping 600 gallons of water per minute, carried four ladders ranging from 14 to 35 feet in length, and had a 150-gallon booster tank.
It wouldn’t be long for the shiny red Kenworth to be pressed into action.
At about 5 p.m. on Friday, March 15, the department responded with the engine to a fire that destroyed a home near Fobes Hill. However, that would just be the beginning of a disastrous weekend, as the most spectacular blaze of the year was about to happen.
It was just after 11:20 p.m. that Friday evening when the fire siren sounded and a glow could be seen in the sky south of town. Whipped by a vigorous wind, the fire is believed to have started near the roof of one of several large barns at the Salvadalena dairy farm and quickly raced across the roof. Located near the Bicycle Tree on the Marsh Road where State Route 9 now crosses it, Egilio Salvadalena’s dairy operation was one of the largest in the county. The farm consisted of numerous two-story, 160-foot-long barns as well as silos, a milking shed and several other buildings, along with a farmhouse.
While firefighters were able to quickly respond with two fire engines, their response was hindered. The glow attracted a spectacle that everyone had to see. In doing so they created a traffic jam effect. Chief Hinkley was reported to say that at this fire they even had drivers speeding up to pass the fire engines as they were responding.
By the time firefighters could arrive, they found one barn completely engulfed with a second beginning to burn along with three silos. As they set about to connect to the lone standpipe on the farm, the firefighters found that they had another problem: That only source of water provided just 40 pounds of water pressure, far too low for any advantage.
A strategy that had been used many times in the past was quickly put into action: With the aid of neighbors and other area farmers, a motorized “bucket brigade” was established by filling milk cans with water in town and then shuttled by farm trucks to keep the 150-gallon booster tank on the Kenworth filled. By the time a water supply was established, the fire had extended well into the second barn and adjacent silos, and it was obvious that they would not be saved. An effort was then shifted to protecting a machine shed, a milking shed and the family’s farmhouse. A call was then put out to the Monroe Fire Department, who responded with an engine to the fire, and to the Everett Fire Department, whose crew stood by in town.
At the time of the fire, there were 115 head of cattle housed in the two barns. With the help of his farmhands, Salvadalena was able to release all but 15 of the cows and drive them to safety, before the heat and smoke drove the men from the buildings.
The (Everett) Daily Herald reported the following day that the heat of the fire became so intense at one point during the four-hour battle, firefighters resorted to using barn doors taken from adjacent buildings to act as shields from the flames and heat. Fortunately, there were just three injuries sustained during the fire. Assistant Chief Herb Ness received a head wound when he was struck by a hose nozzle. Both George Neil, a former Snohomish volunteer firefighter, and Chester Michaels were hurt when they slipped off of the milk shed roof while helping raise a ladder. Both Neil and Michaels were among the spectators recruited by the firefighters to help.
While the cause of the fire was never reported it was believed at first to have been caused by defective wiring, but later on, investigators were looking into several clues which indicated that the fire may have been set by a man who allegedly made public threats against Salvadalena, However that latter theory could never be proven.
It was ironic though, that just two weeks before this fire the Tribune ran a story that said that Washington led the nation in the number of farms using electricity as more than 94% of homes and farms outside of cities and towns were connected to electrical service including nearly every farm in Snohomish County.
By daybreak, the fire had died down with just smoldering hay. Salvadalena and his farm hands found that only 10 to 15 cows were lost in the blaze. Initially, the fire loss was estimated at $13,000 to $15,000 according to the Herald. But the Tribune reported in its edition the following week that the loss was at $16,000 with the cost of structures and livestock being insured. However, the loss of hay and feed was not insured. In 2024 dollars, $16,000 is about $360,000 when adjusted for inflation.
Throughout the next day, spectators continued to flock to the farm to see the aftermath of the fire. Among those to come for a look were David Boyle of Everett and his wife who drove over for a view. As the couple headed back to Everett that Saturday evening, they were passing by a farm on Larimer Road when they spotted flames coming from the house on the farm. Looking as though no one was at home at the time, the couple set out to arouse the neighbors. As the Boyles and the neighbors approached the burning home, they saw that three young children and their 11-year-old babysitter were trapped in the house. Boyle, along with one of the neighbors, made entry into the home, and as reported by the Tribune, entered a flame-filled room to carry all four out to safety. There is no mention of fire departments responding, but the Tribune did note that the house and all of the contents within were lost in the Saturday fire on Larimer Road.
Editor’s note about this fire story: This story is the second entry in an occasional series about historical fires compiled from newspaper articles and material archived from Snohomish Fire District 4.
