Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1871-10-19

the south, HOlstandcr u Randall I
sash, door and blind factory, was also
on fire. The entire basement of thil
building, numbering from lS6 TO 2Os
| was one
RED FURNACE.
Almost in an instant the builiinp
was doomed. The heavy wind drew
the heat in all directions. Building
after building was clasppd IN fer,
embrace. Lii & Holmes lumber OF
fee was among the first to succumb
Reaching backward to the west
from Canal to Clinton, the intense
heat ieopar.llzed an entire block oi
tenement houses, hut here the wind
was of use and fought the fire back
hut only TO drive it more fiercely to-
ward the cast.
Across the street from Holtstan.
der & Randall's shops. which were
formerly know as Joseph Harris
shops, stood the Racine House. en-
bracing Nos. l66 and l6S, Canal
street. This was owned and occu.
pied bys Waldo & Eastman cs sail
ors' boarding honse. It was totally
DESTROYED. The Occupants managed
to escape, hnt nearly All the furniture
as well az the boarders' goods arr
destroyed. ~ q
Or either hand were frame build.
ings. On the north was Floods
wagon shops. On the south the
lumber Office Of Jno. Sheriff & Son.
Back Of and almost surrounding
these buildings. were immense p''es
OF lumber. Everything vas destroy
ed. There were upward Of $1,000
600 feet of lumber in this one yard.
It was owned by Messrs. Sherifi~s &
Son, and was worth on an average
s25 der NJ.
Along both sides Of Canal street
the fire was madly driven II n.
McGee's building was ablaze in a
twinkling. The intense heat kept =
THE FIREMES
far in the rear. hut like heroes they
did their level best. Now the fire
had got into William E. Johnson's
courtyard. Hard and soft coal burn
ed rapidly aud made the heat only
the more intense. Next, b. Hol-
brooks coal.yard tell prey TO the
fiery tiend, and thence :. once more
across the street leaped the flames.
Here and there and everywhere the
fire sprang, mad in its unrcstralned
freedom.
CLINTON STREET
was not threatened at first. out As
the flames stalked northwaId ON Ca
nal street, and the full force OF the
department was engarcd in trying to
stav its progress IN that direction, II
gradually drew westward from the
pIaniny mill. BY the time it reach
cd Clinton street, the whole block
bounded by the streets mentioned
on the east. and west, and hy Van
Buren, aud Jackson on the north and
south was a sheet OF flames. To save
il was sheer impossibility, and the
firemen dragged their machines fur
,her away to prevent II cir being Con
sumed. The flames leaped from the
roof Of one building to another like
thing OF lie. and the dy material
was fine food for them to feed NJ.
on.
The families residing IN the tene
ment houses facing west on Clinton
street had barely time TO get out up
on the street ere their homes were
licked up by the d.vouring element.
Some were able to remove portion
OF their furniture. but the greater
portion lost every thing. This was
south Of jackson street. s
Those living further north wisely
removed the contents OF their dwell.
inrs aafore the Are approached clos !
ly The streets on all sides were
Uttered with all the paraphernalis OF
house keeping. Even those living
blocks out al the track Of the fire
bundled their effects pellmell into
the street.
THE COURSE OF THE FIRE
was slightly east of north, driven by
the wind, and il crossed Jackson
near Canal before the Clinton street
wing had worked entire siestruc-
ton. And shortlwthe mighty bhaxt
swept up Clinton and jumped ove'
to the northeast corner Of Jackson
like hurricane, aud beat back the
curious crowd that had gathered .fol
refuge from the heat, thence il con
tinued north, com hatte,1 all the time
by the united force OF several fire
companies, which seemed to have a
little effect as so many squirt guns
would have done. The neat wa.
very intense, compelling the firemen L
mask their faces, and the crowd te
crawl back to places of safety. Oc
casional,y building on the opposite
side OF the street would take fir,
from the heat and from the cinder'
that fell continually.
CmcAoo. Oct. 8, 1890 A. NJ.
The fire started in a largo planin:
mill situated between Canal ant
Clinton and Van Buren, and Jackso,
streets, about the center of the blocl
formed by those streets. The wint
was blowing very fresh and III
flames spread with Incredible rapid
|ty, and in few minutes the entir
structure was o mass OF FIRE. Th
immediate vicinity is built up witt
small wooden tenement houses an,
two-story frame buildings, occupies
as groceries, saloons, BE. The In
mates OF many OF these houses wer'
startled from their slumhers and ha'
barely timcl 10 rqsh from their hous
les in their scanty nigh. attire. leavin!
I, their household goods to destrrct,o,
In several instances children wcr