Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1871-03-03

THE BOWLER HOUSE IN RUINS !
Two Men Perish in the Flamesi

Two Men Perish i'm the Flamesi
Our neighboring town of Ackley
has been visited by great calamity.
The Bowler Hotel and Burns Block,
the finest building west of Dubuque,
was destroyed by fire last Tuesday
morning. The fire first made its ap-
pearance near the furnace in the
basement, about o'clock. The dis.
covery was made by Mr.. Bowler, who
was sitting up waiting for the east
ern train. Upon it's discovery, he
Immediately called up Mr.. Wood.
the clerk, and together they proceed
ed TO the basement stairway, and
when they reached the stairs they
found the rooms below were enveI-
Oped in flames; and realizing the
danger TO which the sleeping inmates
were exposed, they fastened to give
the alarm.
a correspondent of the Dubuque
Herald says: THE scene that then
ensued beggars description.
THE impulse of self preservation
for the moment seemed to seize upon
and control every occupant, ami in
their haste TO escape the threatened
and terrible death. they leaped from
the windows aud corridors, just
which ever way offered the most
available means of escape; but all,
il is feared, were not successful in
their efforts to clear the burning
building. Two persons are supposed
to have been lost either caught up
and smothered with the flames while
attempting TO get on: or sutiocated in
their sleep. The supposed victims.
a. is stated above, are bus driver
named Ed. Williams, and young
man named Johnson. johnson was
journeymau plasterer, and supe.
riOr workman. He was well known
10y persons in this city.
1.-THE destruction of this magniil-
cent building is not only an almos,
irreparable loss TO the proprietor. but
is a great damage TO the town. The
fact that it has been less than two
months since the house was formally
opened, makes its destruction now
the more shocking. 1t was dedicated
to the use of the travelling public
sometime before the middle of Janu-
airy last. under the most favorable
auspices. The largest and most
pleasant and most successful OF ban
quets and balls ever given in that
section was given there on that occa.
sion. The house was splendidly
furnished throughout and all the APP
pointments were complete-every-
thing in fact about the Bowler House
seemed to augur for its success. But
the destruction has been as complete
as was it's building. There was
nothing Of account other than the
lives of the occupants saved, and not
all of these, as we have shown. The
work of the flames was rapid and
the loss total. r.-...a
THE cost of the building was S40,.
coo; on this there was an insurance
of only $1,000.
"The contract for painting the
Bowler House was awarded to Joseph
Newburg of Ackley, who holds an
unpaid claim Of 81 900 against tn G
proprietor. In the cellar of the hoteI
was stored about $500 worth of oils,
paint aud lead, which Of course is d
total loss"
Mrs. Lehman, of Cedar Falls, had
also q iein oD the house, amounting
to about 1000.
From the Hampton Free Pres,
extra, we learn that Mrs. Rice and
four of the hired girls We're cut of
in the southwest corner of the build.
ing in the second story, and were
compelled to jump from the window
to the ground. The girls accom-
plished the feat without serious in,
jury, but Mrs. II. fell, breaking
through the boards that we've tenn,
porarily laid down as a sidewalk
into the area below, and was badly
injured, although not seriously. =
Two or three of the guests also
jumped from the second story win
dow"