The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-09-09
Fire and Ioss OF Life,

About i've O'Clock F. n. ON Wednesday. the |
people in the vicinity OF the southwest corner |
OF tho public square we're startled BY an e1plo-
sion followed Immediately by the cry Of FIRE. 1t
was soon found that the explosion had occurred J
in the cellar of Z. Y. Griggs' drug store, and
that the rear of the store WAS on fire. The ex-
plosioa had occurred in this way: Mr.. Mason, of
the firm of Porter l. Mason, had called at the
store for lubricating oil known as railroad
oil" Johnny Scheck, boy about IA years old,
in tho employ Of Mr.. Griggs, took lamp and
descended to the cellar to get the oil The ex.
plosion occurred while he was drawing it from
the cask, proving that this oil, Of which no one
ever before had suspected such thing, is, like
NEST other mineral oils, highly explosive. The
boys in the store (Mr. Griggs was absent at
tending q funeral at the time,) On hearing the
explosion, were startled and ran towards the
door. Mr.. Mason ran to the cellar, where he
found the boy enveloped IN flames, and crying
for help and blankets, succeeded in extinguish-
ing the blaze in which he was enveloped and in
conveying him, with assistance, from the build
ing into the Office of Drs. Hathaway & Camp
field. The boys face was found burned to
crisp, his eyes destroyed, and Of course, his re.
sovery hopeless. All was done that could alle-
viate the intensity of his pain, but at about half
past o o'clock in the evening he expired.
In the meantime the rear portion Of the cellar
was mas of fame, which bad rapidly made its
way through the floor and was leaping through
the back windows and up the outside Of the
building The fire also communicated to the
wooden building in the rear Of the store, and for
q short time the indications were alarmingly
threatening Of an extensive conAsgation. The
engines, however, by this time had arrived, and
soon put different phase on the matter. The
Niagara had arrived first, but ewing to some
imperfeetion in the suction pipe, could do no ex.
ecution until some fifteen minutes after the Ua-
dine had got to work. when the difficulty with
the Niagara was remedied, and both engines
thereafter did good service.
The damage after this was more by water
than by FIRE. In the cellar, though full of bar
rels filled with oilf, varnish, terpentine, &c.,
fortunately only the barrel which had exploded
and barrel OF tar next to it took FIRE. In the
interior OF the store the whole book and station.
cry side, were ruined more by water than fire,
though nothing could have saved them from fire
but the water. The drugs suffered less damage
while the counters, shelves, &C., are badly char.
red, scorched or smoked.
The photograph rooms of Mrs. Thompson, or
the third story, and Offices of DR.. Mariner, DR.
Harris, Mayo S Widmer, Judge Cavarlv, and Of
the G. W. Telegraph were all more OF less dam
aged by removal Of goods and water, while th.
clothiug Of stiefel 4 Co., next door west, and
the goods of Mr.. Piergue, next door east, were
also more or less damaged.
The losses, ~ far as we have been able to as
certain, are about as follows:
E. Y. Griggs, on stock, from $1,000 to S1oOOt
building, about. -. 1,OO(
Stiefel s. Co., about t............ ........ 2OO(
mrs. Inompsoo.... 2O(
DR.. Mariner, DR.. Harris, Judge Cavarly, G.
W. Telegraph Co., and Msye Il Widmer $50 te
$75 each.
OF these. the losses Of E. Y. Griggs, stiefel &
Co., DR.. Harris, and Mrs. Thompson are covered
BY insurance.
The total insurance on Griggs' and Mating
er's block, and the stock Of E. Y Griggs and N
Siefel 4 Co. amounts to $4,000, distributed il
the different companies as follows: Eastoas
$1,000; E. W. Griggs', $1,000; Harris, $4,000
Ravens, McKinlay & Co.'S, $4,000; unknown
| $4,000.