The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1871-05-18
FIRES In DAVENPORT.

About half past Eve o'clock this morning
the fire bells of Davenport sounded the
alarm, and, following the lead of the FIRE
men, the scene of conaagrstion was found
TO be on the west side Of Iowa street, be-
| tween Front and Second streets. The build.
ing vas an old frame boarding house, owned
by Mr.. Hugh Garrett, had been recently re
modelled and repaired, and was, previous to
the fire, occupied by four families. The
hsmes were first seen to issue from the root
OF the kitchen, and tie building being very
dry, they spread with alarming rapidity.
The steamer Fire King was first on the
grouHd, and the Donahue and Rescue ar
irving soon after, the flames we're speedily
subdued, but not until the building had suf
fered considerably. Water WAS handy, the
burning building being but half square
from the river, and what the fire failed to
accomplish the streams from the engines
effected.
The cause of the fire is not known, but
the carelessness of ledger in using an TN
finished chimney, is the probable cause.
The loss on the building is about $500; on
the household furniture of dodgers, about
5000 more, making g total loss of 500,
without insurance, as an appetiser for an
early breakfast The building will be i'm
mediately repaired BY Nj. Garrett.
knowing our liking for run Of half or
three quarters Of a mile, Davenport has
proved herself an obligiug body to-day, for
no sooner had we essed ourselves of the
above, than the ferry sounded the fire
alarm, and we enjoyed 2:40 gait to Dav-
export. This was at 10 o'oloek. We found
the FIRE on Perry street, northwest corner.
The flames were actively engaged in at
tempting to destroy fine block, known as
the Goldshury Block, which the hand of man
had just completed, and a hundred or SO
6remen, aided by the Fire Kiag, Donahue,
and Rescue engines, were battling mAnfully
for the mastery. After working for half an
hour, the frsmen proved the vicsors, and
the flames were extinguished. The origin
of the fire is supposed to have been the
work of an incendiary, as the flames wert
seen to issue first from pile of shaving
and kindling, under a stairway on the ives
side of the building, BY DR.. Ballou, whc
attempted uuavAilingly, to extinguish then
with bucket of water. A Baboock Extin
guisher was on hand, but no one knew hov
the ''cussed thing" worked, and it was use
less.
Mr.. Goldsbury's loss Oh the building b
Ere and water will amount TO about S700
and the loss Of the occupants will make
total loss of 1000, as an appetizer for
8 late dinner. Mr.. Goldsburys loss is full
f covered by insurance. Much praise is du
2 the fire department of the city, for thei
i prompt and efficient services water bein
!. handy at both fires, they were enabled t
!. work TO advantage. Our fire depArtmer
did not turn out.
= While we deplore the loss our sister cit
d has suffered to-day, we object decided
70 to the partial manner in which arsonist
N kindle their fires. Why don't they bur
h down the rookeries, which every one know
Of are plentiful in Davenport? 1t is dis
courAging prospect for prospective builder
when new blocks are to be thus sacrificed
the whims of some fellow with an unlimite
- supply of matches in his pocket.