Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1871-1872, 1872-09-23
A MULTIPLICITY OF FIRES.
How the Holly System Works.

Since the introduction Of our present sys-
ten Of water works there hss been a great
aud vide spread curiosity amongst the Peo-
pie to know how the old thing would WORK
/ in the case Of fire. There have been
several Incidental nfagrAiions,o utn no gooo
opnortuuitv for a fair test of its efficiency
until Saturday evening. The hre alarm was
sounded few moments past nine o'clock on
that evening aud the hose companies
turned out at once. The FIRE proved to be
in the roof Of the blacksmith shop connect
ed With Buford 4 Co.'s pillow factory. Two
streams were soon playing upon the FIRE
through hose belonging 10 the works. 10
very short time the boys of the Phoenix
Hose Company No. l, we're on hand and
the flames were soon exsinguished. The
FIRE caught in the roof near the chimney, a
hot Ere oil day having gradually sci the
rAftsrs on FIRE. The damage vas light.
The above instance is striking exam
pie of the efficiency Of the Holly System Of
Water Works. Buford & Co.'s works are
= valued at about $3.50, 900, on which there is
al insurance Of less than $4,000 The
roof where the Ere caught was as dry rs
finder, and with the strong wind blowing
at the time, had we been dependent upon the
old system OF ERE steamers, the factory
woald have been in ruins before a single
o stream could have been brought to bear up
2 on the flames, and loss greater than the
+ whole cost of the water works would have
% been the result.
Early in the evening of Saturday, DR..
Bslding, the dentist, accidentally set fire to
. curtain in his office, in the second story
of Hull's Block. Before he could smother
the Ere the flames had communicated "a
the other curtain and the musquiIo netting
on the bed, and for few moments the DR.
tad pretty lively time, but finally succeed
in ed in putting out the fire. No matera
,e damage done, except pretty good SCAR
in for the denizeus Of that particular locality
l. Sunday about one o'clock in tn
ly afternoon the FIRE alarm wa
'ir again sounded This time tn
is FIRE was in sssAble belonging to the EARN
so ers' Retreat" on Orleans and ExchSng
it. streets. 1t was frat seen by little daughte
Of Mr.. J. HUBER whose residence is adjoir
49, ing. Mr.. Huber has small service-tap t
- which be affixed his hose, aud with the as
sssance Of his son, lad Of about II years
he fought The fire and kept il in check 70
= sometime. Three hose companies wsr
). soon on the ground and the FIRE was drown
: ed out, not however until the stable an
kitchen department Of the Farmers Re
treat had burned, and considerable dam
age had been done to Mr.. Huber's house
;, Mr.. H. estimates his loss on the house a
from $500 to $780, insured for : ECO i
Home Company of New York. The loss O.
~ furniture, which was moved out Of the house
III is not known. 1t was insured for $500
a Mrs. Burns, proprieiress Of the "tSrmer'
to Retreat estimates her loss at about $500
tn insured for $500; $500 in the Z nderwriter'
tx Of N Y, and $500 in the Continental n. y
The origin Of this FIRE is unknown, but il
he supposed TO have been SET, whether inten
.ry tiouary OF otherwise is not known. NJ
ew Huber noticed drunken fellow in the stab
A. during the forenoon, with one or tao con
J. panious, aud it is possible that they may
connected IN some way with the FIRE.
A FIRE IN DAvESP-R
lat about six o'clock Saturday evening, burre
We away the roof Of building on Second, b
IS tween Iowa and Rock Island streets, loi
cir about $500 insurance $500.
"a IN MILAN
al about I o'clock Sunday morning, the r
ias ceiviug room of Frysingers diStllery, loci
'sd ted near the dissillery building and bonde
10 warehouse, was struck by lightning an
to burned TO the ground A oonsiderab
be- quantity of highwinss was in the large r
aid ceiving tanks, but the exact loss has u
ay yet been computed. The fire lasted but
o'e short time, the highWines being consume
he almost instantly. Workmen were bust
d. engaged in repairing Sunday, and VOL
in the dislillrry was resumed to-day.