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The Muskegon Chronicle
Saturday, 3 August, 1889

         About twelve o'clock today fire broke out in George
       B. Getty's saw-mill at Shelby, and for awhile the whole
       village was threatened. Shortly after the fire began
       authorities of Shelby telephoned to George Hancock, of
       Montague, stating that there was danger of the whole
       village burning and that they wanted help. Mr. Hancock
       at once telephoned to the C. & W.M. R'y at Muskegon to
       send a locomotive and flat car to take the steamer to
       Shelby. Shortly afterwards Mr. Hancock again received
       an urgent appeal for help from Shelby and also instruc-
       tions to ask Muskegon for assistance. Then he communi-
       cated with Chief Fallon, of the Muskegon fire depart-
       ment, and told him of the situation.
       
         After a flat car was obtained from the C. & W.M. R'y
       the steamer "Pioneer" and a quantity of hose was loaded
       upon it and further instructions awaited. The engine was
       under command of Daniel Kelly, Sr., as engineer, and
       Miles Wilkenson, stoker. It was just 2:30 o'clock when
       the special train was ready to pull out. The word was
       received not to bring the fire engine, but to proceed
       at once with locomotive, flat car, ties, rails and a
       crew of men, and if necessary they could take a steamer
       on at Montague. The locomotive pulled out at 2:40 for
       Shelby to render assistance.
       
         At 2:40 o'clock this afternoon Mr. Hancock informed
       the Chronicle by telephone that he had just received
       word that the fire department in Shelby had the fire
       under control.
       
         Getty's mill was situated about 400 feet south of
       the C. & W.M. Ry depot. The railroad track for quite
       a distance was burned, and warped so as to stop trains.
       Further information was not obtainable when the Chronicle
       closed its forms.
       
         Shelby is in Oceana county. It is on the C. & W.M.
       R'y, six miles south of Hart, and 31 miles north of
       Muskegon. The village contains five churches, a bank,
       has two weekly newspapers, two hotels, an opera house,
       fire department, several school buildings, two saw
       mills, handle factory, stave factory, flour mill, two
       fruit evaporators, cider mill, fruit jelly manufactory,
       basket factory, etc. The population is about 1,100.
       
       {Transcriber's Note: In September the mill property
       was sold to Patton & Andrus as George Getty had decided
       not to rebuild.]
       
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