Old Time Radio Westerns Podcast
Episode: Webster’s Big Fire | The Lone Ranger (04-01-42)
Host: Andrew Rhynes
Date: February 23, 2026

Episode Overview

“Webster’s Big Fire” is a digitally remastered presentation of a classic Lone Ranger radio drama. The episode transports listeners to Mountain City, where small traders and bounty hunters find themselves squeezed by the aggressive tactics of the powerful Webster Fur Company. Through conspiracies, price wars, and a dramatic warehouse fire, the Lone Ranger and Tonto must expose a scheme designed to crush the competition and frame the innocent.

Key Discussion Points & Narrative Highlights

1. The Bounty Law Change & Mounting Tensions

• [02:00 – 06:00]
  • Jim Blake, a bounty hunter, arrives frustrated in Mountain City because the bounty payout system has changed: now hunters must bring in whole pelts instead of just wolf ears.
  • He suspects this was orchestrated by the Webster Fur Outfit, aiming to divert hunters into profitable fur trapping rather than just bounties.
  • Tom Turner, a representative of Webster, admits the company’s influence and attempts to strong-arm Blake into compliance.
    • Notable Quote:
      • "Blake, every so often, some gent like you gets the idea that he's bigger than an organization. Then he finds out that he's not." (Turner, 06:00)

2. Corporate Scheme vs. Small Traders

• [08:49 – 10:10]
  • The Webster warehouse posts notices of inflated fur prices, starting a price war with Great Western, run by Mark Collins.
  • The intention is to undersell Great Western into bankruptcy, after which Webster can drop prices at will.
    • Notable Quotes:
      • "Nobody can pay those prices and stay in business." (Mark Collins, 09:13)
      • "We can pay them long enough." (Turner, 10:04)
      • "Just long enough to break me, is that it?" (Mark Collins, 10:08)

3. Betrayal and Disappearance

• [11:09 – 13:00]
  • Trappers reluctantly switch allegiance to Webster, despite loyalty to Mark Collins.
  • Jim Blake disappears after going to confront the Marshal, raising suspicions for Tonto and the Lone Ranger.

4. The Lone Ranger Investigates and Infiltrates

• [13:00 – 17:00]
  • Tonto and the Lone Ranger piece together the plot: Webster collects cheap bounty pelts, stores them, and plans a fire to destroy them—at no loss to the company since they are worthless, but at great loss to trappers.
  • The Lone Ranger hides in a wagon, infiltrates the warehouse, and is discovered and captured, finding himself bound alongside Jim Blake.
    • Notable Quote:
      • "They're gonna set fire to this place. They're gonna burn us with the rest of it." (Jim Blake, 18:10)

5. The Fire & The Frame-Up

• [18:10 – 23:30]
  • The villains set the warehouse ablaze to destroy evidence and blame Jim Blake.
  • Tonto, still free, orchestrates a daring rescue amid the flames. The townsfolk watch helplessly as Tonto rushes into the inferno to save Blake and the Lone Ranger.
    • Memorable Scene:
      • The tension as Tonto is described entering the burning warehouse, with the crowd expecting certain death (22:00–22:42).

6. Justice Restored

• [23:44 – 26:08]
  • Out of the ruins, Blake, the Lone Ranger, and Tonto reappear alive, shocking the crowd.
  • The Lone Ranger reveals Webster’s entire scheme: the valuable furs were already smuggled out, the fire was staged, and the fake price war was a ruse.
  • Tom Turner and Butch are arrested; the community forces Webster to store the remaining furs at Collins’ warehouse—on her terms, flipping the scheme back on the crooks.
    • Notable Quote:
      • "You’re broken already, Turner. So's your partner Butch. ... Then we’ll file charges of attempted murder against all of you." (Marshal Maitland, 25:38)
      • "It was the Lone Ranger that was here." (Crowd, 26:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• “Blake, every so often, some gent like you gets the idea that he's bigger than an organization. Then he finds out that he's not.”
  — Turner, (06:00)

• “Just long enough to break me, is that it?”
  — Mark Collins, (10:08)

• “They're gonna set fire to this place. ... They're gonna burn us with the rest of it.”
  — Jim Blake, (18:10)

• The warehouse burns while Tonto heroically charges in to save the day, risking his life:
  — (22:00–22:42)

• “You're broken already, Turner. So's your partner Butch. ... Then we’ll file charges of attempted murder against all of you.”
  — Marshal Maitland, (25:38)

• The Lone Ranger and Tonto’s enigmatic departure as the townsfolk realize who their saviors were:
  — (26:10–26:15)

Key Segments & Timestamps

• Introduction & Context: [01:59–06:00]
• Rising Tensions & Fur Price War: [08:49–11:09]
• Blake’s Disappearance & Lone Ranger Investigates: [11:09–17:00]
• Warehouse Scheme & Capture: [13:00–18:10]
• Fire & Rescue: [18:10–23:30]
• Exposure & Justice: [23:44–26:15]

Summary & Takeaways

This episode highlights the ruthless competition in the frontier economy and corporate overreach versus the resilience of individuals and small communities. The Lone Ranger and Tonto, as always, stand for justice, using courage and cunning to expose greed and restore balance. The atmosphere of danger, the drama of the fire, and the classic reveal, all enhanced by remastered sound, recapture the thrill of old-time radio at its best.

For fans of classic Westerns, this episode stands out as an example of tense, character-driven storytelling with a satisfying resolution and plenty of action.