Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-04-02
COnSIagration In waterloo.

At about nine o'clock, on Saturday night
last our citizens were once more startled by
the cry of fire. 1t was Immediately dis
covered ,hat the Waterloo Elevator owned
by Brady j. Co., was on fire, aud the whole
Of Mill street in imminent danger. The Red
Jackets were almost instantly ON the ground
with their engine, but the fire had already
made such progress as to render all attempts
to save the Elevator, iruitless. The heat
soon became intense, driving away the most
heroic. A horse used in the Elevator was
fortunately taken out and, also, few bar
rels of iekled pork. The Elevator con,
tanned about 5000 bushels Of No. whe I !;
l,5e0 bushels of oats all belonging to Bra
dy 4 Co.; also. about 400 bushels of cats be.
longing to Chapman 4 Williams of the Cen
tral House. Brady 4 Co. had jast receivet
5000 new gunny sacks and had in additio,
about 600 ether grain sacks. Everything,
save the exceptions above, were destroyed.
The old Goodhue lumber office, owned by
Beck, Nauman & Bro, and occupied as a
beer saloon, was soon in flames, and all eff.
forts TO tear it down or extinguish the fire.
proved abortive. Ii was entirely DESTROYED.
Several piles of lumber standing near by,
belonging to Beck. Nauman d Co, were
several times on fire, but we're torn down
ard the boards carried away: much. howe,'>
or, being badly damaged. 4, is thought that
some of the wheat may yet be saved for seed,
and a considerable portion OF it may be dis
posed Of Tor feed. Some oats may be used
for the same purposes. The Courson Block
was several times on fire. and for some time
in imminent danger OF being DESTROYED.
Messrs Beck, Nau;nan 4 Co. and Daniels,
Slade X Co, occupying the block had Ill
their goods removed. Good Tempiars' Hal,
In the same block. was stripped OF It's furii
ture. Messrs. Woodruff & Robinson, occl-
pYing the room next west of Daniels, Slade
4 CO., as n stove and hardware store. had b
part OF their stock taken out. c. L W. Br,i
bacher bad commenced removing their az
ricultural implements, bu, ceased after
was found that the fire would be controlled
aud confined to the Elevator and saloon. A.
to the cause Of the FIRE, all surmising is al
fault. The fire originated ip the north and
was in that end of the building it was first
discovered. This being the case the fire
could not have been communicated to the
building from the stove, as the stove was in
the other end Of the building. 1t is rumor-
ed that a man was seen about the Elevator
but few minutes before the fire was dis.
covered. Another rumor is that two BOYS
were seen to run away from the building i'm
mediately before the alarm Of fire was given
1t is not clear that the fire was the work Of
an incendiary, and yet, there seems to be no
circumstance that would lead to the belief
that it was purely accidental The cause of
the fire, therefore, is still mystery.
The Elevator of Brady & Co. was built
several years ago by G.. W. Couch, aud was
one of the most substantial buildings in Wa.
terloo. II was three stories high with Gu
poia, and some 10 feet in length. Its ca.
pacity was estimated at about $4,000 bush.
els. We never saw sparks and ciuders hy
SO p.entitully and frighlfully as they did du-
ring the height Of the confiagration. and had
i: not been for the snow that had fallen du>
ring the day, the danger to the whole south>
east portion Of the town could hardly be i'm.
agined. Whitney's barn was Immediately
IL range or the flight Of fire and was only
saved by the extraordinary efforts Of our cit
izeas who crowded the roof and cruwEed into
The NOV, and with the free use of water and
snow put out the sparks as fast as they fell.
The Brubaei er Warehouse was saved by the
same vigilance. The barn and wagon yard
Of the Central House was twice on fire, but
men were on the watch and the fire exnn>
guished at once. Cindcrs fell blazing in all
directions, and for distance of quarter of
= mile. The spectacle during the shower of
FIRE and the wild leap of the flames from the
burning buildings, was grand in the ex-
IRENE.
The line OF citizens passing water from
the river labored manfuly, while hundreds
Of spectators looked on without lending
helping hand. The engine was for few
minutes delayed by the presence Of slush
and ice in the hose, but came to the rescue
just at the critical moment, and beyond any
doubt, saved the town from most terrible
visitation. At the moment the flames spread
across the side Of the Courson Bloc, and
when the use Of buckets as no longer avail
able, the engine commenced to throw its
food against the building. the FIRE was al
most instantly extinguished and the town
saved. II was then that our people saw the
benefit Of the Fire Engine, and the air shook
with plaudits in praise Of the Red Jacket
Fire Company. Had Courson's Block not
been saved, Mill street would have been
swept clean to Commercial, and the flames
might not have been STAYED even there. The
escape from terrible conaagration was in
deed proyiden,ial.
LOSSES AND INSURANCE.
As near as we can ascertain, the loss sus-
TUNED is as follows:
Loss. ISs.
Brady & Co, Elevator, $4,000 $4,000
lo What lc * 0nn II nN0