Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-01-19
THE FIRE AT WARSAW.
WARSAW, Ind, Jan. Is, 49,

WARSAW, Ind, Jam lS, 1871.
W. NJ. NIcHoIs. DEAR SHIN reply to
YOUR request OF the 18th inst, l will,
so far as am able, give you the par
ticular1 CT the late disastrous fire in our
town:
On Saturday night, the 18th inst. about
twelve O'Clock. and after most Of our
citizens had retired, tired and wcary-not
with the laborS Of lively trade, but with
watching the gloomy streets, the quiet OF
which during the whole dreary DAY had
only been disturbed by the appearance OF
one solitary team. which had been caught
in the steady rain that had been falling for
more than eighteen louisville thus
peacefully rercsing. ard thinking less OF
fire than anything else in The world, they
were aroused by the quick, sharp cry Of
fire." On arriving at The place iron
whence the alarm was given, il was found
that the Empire Book, The largest and
most prominent block in town, was on
fire about the center. Our steam engine,
hand engine, and the hook and ladder
companies were promptly on the ground
and soon hard at work. Wading through
the deep. soft mud, dragging the hose
hiiher and ihiiher, pouring water in
torrents on the mad, Kissing flames, erect
ing ladders, and with ropes and hooks
tearing out the adjoining business rooms,
and, apparently, reckless OF falling walls
and the explosions of powder and kero-
sene in the drug store, still no part of the
building could be saved from the ravages
of the fierce flames. At four O'Clock IN
the morning the entire portion of the
block tia, was combusiible lay in one
cha-red mass of ruins, together with $50
600 worth Of merchandise. Had the
weather not been most favorable the
whole business part Of town west of Buf
falo street ust certainly ha-c fallen a
victim to the deyouring clements.
II was then that we. all Eel. thankful for
the rain that aad made the previous day
so gloomy. After The fire had been sub
ducd. many of our firemen and citizens
could scarcely be recognized, SD com-
pletely wer. they covered with mud, the
steady. warm rain having thawed out the
ground so that the mud and slush was
fully ankle deep ali around the block
The general expression is one OF com.
menda ton and thank fitness 10 oar Fire
Companies, who, regardless of the dangers
did all in their power to save the property
of the occupants, as we'll as the building.
Many who were doing prosperous
business in Empire Block arc completely
ruined, and others are SO crippled as To
be compelled to close their business. The
following is list of the principal suf
ferers, as reported:
Odd Fellows, building, loss sCo,Oo0, in
sured Sc, 900; Isaac Wolf, dry goods AMI
clothing, loss $4,000, insured for $4,000;
DIR. Foster. drug store, loss $4,000. in
sured for $4,000; Z. Match, hardware,
loss $4,000, insured for $1,000; NJ. Phil
lipson, clothing, fully insured; J. Rcus.
seau, loss nominal; p. L. Runyan, loss
81 900. no insurance; C. W. Burke, drug
store. loss 81 600, no insurance.
The second and third stores of the
building were occupied by lawyers. ply
.icians, &c. all of whom were sufferer s
more or less. The Odd Fellows and Ma
cons lost all their furniture, emblems, &C..
bu. were covered by insurance.
j. ID. TnAYER.