The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1870-06-30
FIRES!
OUR FOUNDRY BURNED TO ASHES.

- >N-SAssS
OUR FOUNDRY BURNED TO ASHES.
About 4 o'clock, yesterday, (sun.
day 26th) our citizens were alarmed
by the cry of Fire and the ringing Of
bells, and aroused to the direful fact
, that our foundry was on fro. which
quickly consumed it to ashes. This
sad calamity is felt by every citizen
who has any pride in our city.
Some five years ago Messrs. Drake
Il Spivcy commenced tho business
here, on . limited scale, but by pcr.
severance, skill and personal atten.
ton to business they had managed
> TO build up q ,dourishing business,
and wero just getting fairly on their
financial feet, after slipping through
some discouraging vicissitudes, and
hadsorderstin for nearly the full sum.
mer's engagement, when their hopes
and bright anticipations are swept
away OF one fell sweep of the terrible
flames. - -s' s'''3s} '3@''s
How tho fire originated is tho qucs-
tion. Mr.. Spivey informs us that
they had been casting on Saturday
afternoon, but that the work was all
stopped at about o'clock, and he
was the last to leave, after submerg-
ing all the fire with water, and is
confident that he left no fire there.
Nay, moro, ho returned to tho shop
about 8 o'clock, in the evening, on
his way to his boarding house, and
discovered no signs of fire.
It may be considered as total
loss, as the lathes, patterns and ma
'chinery are warped and damaged SO
badly as to be worthless. The loss
will approximate $4,000. Insured
tor $4,000, in the Commercial of
Chicago. The greatest single loss
was on their patterns, of which they
had about 81 900 worth--all destroy.
cd. .-,
Fortunately there was no wind,
and the high board. fence, aud some
small cut houses were not oven
scorchcd. sa
The Fire Company was promptly
on hand, but owing to the fact that
no access could be had to tho river,
they got to work too late to be of
service in saving the Foundry.
Citizens OF Ottumwa these gontlo-
mon have worked hard, have attend
ed to their own legitimate business,
had built up good thing for our city;
are honest capable men, and good
citizens, and while this loss does not
smash Thorn, yet they are badly Grip
pied. Ottumwa must have Foun-
dry, and these men thoroughly un-
dorstand tho business. Shall they
be assisted?
1888 10 ANOTHER FIRE.
This morning June 27,) at about
o'clock, the same dread alarm rang
out, and again we hurried to check
tho fury Of the flames. It seems that
in the roar of the Depot Hotel, was
an old shed adjoining the ice house,
il which was stored old barrels, box
CO, ETC., and in which. was barrel of
Gasoline, which is burnt at tho hotel.
This fluid Mr.. Ballingall had given
strict orders, should be drawn from
tho barrel with pump; but an en-
ployee not wishing to go after the
pump, took u measure and setting it
on the ground, extracted tho burg
Eom tho barrel took hold of it's
chime and turned it over, thus'fNing
and OVERLOOKING the measure, which
no carried back to where he had left
a lamp sitting, which suddenly igni.
ted the fluid, and communicated to
thesbarrel, and as quick as flash the
whole thing was allame. 1t is prob
ablo, that if be had had the presence
of mind to kick tho measure out of
doors, there wonld have been no con-
flagration- Tho shed was burned
down, and q portion Of the ice house
destroyed. Loss about $3.50. The
rear Of the hotel proper was scorched
some, but not much damaged.
! Again our good Fire Company
was on hand but could not get to
!, work in carly season, on account Of
scarcity Of " ater.- Eild bs.5H
Mr.. Ballingall desires 10 return his
sincere thanks for the prompt assis-
TANGO rendered by our citizens, and
hopes that, he may never be called
upon to render like assistance to
either Of them. gr
sss -
Census. s}t!
Tho census takers are abroad in