The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-08-18

FIRE.-About II o'clock Sunday night
great volumes of smoke wers discovered
pouring out Of the store room on Third
street occupied by Mr.. Orr as mattress fac
tory. The alarm WAS instantly sounded and
almost as instantly the whole Fire Depart
ment was in motion. Better Judgment pre-
vailed at this fire than is usually the case. All
the windows and doors of the building were
kept closed, thus excluding the air from the
ere and staying it, progress until water was
handy for its extinguishment. For this there
was little waiting, 40 the steamer was soon
busily engaged at the Fourth street cistern
while the Rolla boys had their little machine
At work Atithe Tepfer House cistern. The
doors of the. burning building we're then
forced in and the FIRE soon conquered. The
room was stacked full Of corn shucks and
new mattresses. The former were slightly
burned while the latter were wholly ruined.
Mr.. Orr's loss viii be about Eve hundred dol
lars. No insurance. The shelving in the
room was badly charred and blackened. The
building, we believe, j. owned BY Guy Wells,
Esq, and was but slightly damaged.
To the 6remen is due great praise for the
promptitude Of their movements on this oc.
casion. The Young America, We believe,
threw the first stream in the rear of the build
ing, while almost inm ediasely after the Rolla
boys were fighting the flames. from the front.
Taking the distance the Rolla Company had
to come it is no more than Just TO say that its
members exhibited An activeness that was
highly commended and applauded by ill
who witnessed their movements. Had tho
Union Company, the FIRST on the ground,
taken possession Of the Tepfer House cistern,
instead Of passing it. ~ they did, the honor
Of z first water " would have been accorded
to them.
The origin Of the Ere is unknown. hfr.
Orr thinks that some malicious scamp ap-
piled the torch, - NO FIRE had been used by
him in the. room for weeks. The building is
large three story brick, and above the store,
rooms is occupied by families, among whom
there was great commotion, but fortunately
eAoy UuuCEou Ouy run liz inconvenience
occasioned by the throwing together of their
effects preparatory to . sudden removal from
the building, which did not happen, owing to
the good sense which prevailed in the man
agcment Of the FIRE.
On other occasions, when We were writing
regularly for the paper I've are only substi-
tute now for DAY or two), we have advo-
Gated the purchase of another steam FIRE en-
CINE to be placed in charge Of the Company
in Cattaraugus. The steamer of the Young
America il decidedly the most useful piece Of
property the city owns, and, in our judgment,
the city authorities should dispose of the
hand engines and give 40 another steamer.
The hand engines have had their day-they
are : relic Of the past, now '.played out"
and when steam can b % reAdily substituted,
muscle shouldn't b taxed ct the !" breaks
As soon q the condition Of lie city treasury
viii admit Keokuk should forthwith become
the posssssos Of another steamer, and the
moro experience We have with our present
engine the moro anxious our people become
to have another, and 70 entirely discard the
old hand snginss.