News: Colby (28 Jun 1966)

Contact: Dinah Reinke
Email: dinah@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Boisen, Miller

------ Source: Tribune-Phonograph (Abbotsford and Colby, Clark Co., Wis.) 06/30/1966

A fire which broke out about 8:30 p.m. Tuesday night completely destroyed a large dairy barn and new equipment on the Keith Boisen farm, 4 ½ miles west of Colby on county trunk N. The Colby fire department was called immediately, but the barn was down in about 10 minutes.

Also destroyed were about 25 head of young stock. Other cattle were outside the barn when the fire broke out.

The farm is the former Ray Miller Sr. property, which Mr. Boisen purchased a year ago last spring, when he and his family moved to this area from Iowa.

The barn was 45x160’ which included a 60-foot addition which was put on by Mr. Miller about six years ago. A bulk tank and conveyor and a bulk feeding system which Mr. Boisen recently installed were also destroyed, as well as a grain elevator, manure spreader, four milker units, pipeline and other equipment.

Feed included about four tons of oats and corn in the bulk feeder tank, 3500 bales of old hay and some straw, and about two tons of fertilizer. There was no new hay in the barn at the time of the fire. There was no silage remaining in two silos, which were also damaged.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, but started in the south end of the barn and quickly swept through the structure.

There was no estimate of the total loss at press time Wednesday. Mr. Boisen, who is hobbling on two broken toes on his right foot which happened last week, stated that he did have insurance. His future plans have not been determined.