The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-10-08
TINDER BOX ROW ABLAZE.
THREE BUILDINGS BURNED.
THE CHARRED BODY OF A MAN FOUND
IN THE RUINS.
Coroner's Inquest.

NVNuucIb AnquCo"
At about4;30 this Wednesday, morning
a fire was discovered in the back part OF
two story wooden building on Madison
street, opposite the C., R. !. & P Railroad
freight depot grounds TWAS occupied by
Charles Anderson, as boarding and
public house. and was called the American.
Adjoining the house on the south, was
similar building, called the Keystone, and
occupied by John Hall, both were the
property of the Charles Case estate,
On the north of the American was anoth-
er similar building, owned and occupied by
a woman who was formerly Frank Bur
gers wife, but is now called Mrs Chance
and said TO be the wife of Sergeant
Chance.
1t seemed an age after the Third ward
bell rang before the alarm was given from
the Water Works, and, of course, 1t re
ouired a little time after that to get on an
increased pressure. The alarm, too, is
said to have been given wrong-and that
seems to have been the case in another fire
recenely-probably occasioned blythe mex
perience or excitement of those who open
a hydrant. While the hose carts were ar
irving, a good many people fiocked there
and quickly cleared the buildings of most
of their contents, The Hope Hose boys
we're first on the ground, as their house is
only block or so from the fire The 9th
err companies soon arrived, but the Phoenix
could not work for want of hydrant.
The first and most important object was to
protect the surrounding buildings and keep
the fire within its limits This was done
handsomely and although all three build
ings were blazing furiously the fire was actu-
ally drowned out by the time the American
fell in,-and there they stand, partly
| burned building on each side and huge
pile of blackened timbers and lumber in
the centre The only cause for regret iii
they had TO burn is that the boys didn
/ let them burn so that no repairing could
perpetuate the rookeries, and then for the
Council to see that only brick or stone
/ buildings take their place.
None of the buildings were insured, and
no sane insurance agent would take any
risk on them.
But Insurance Agt Wiser had 500
risk in the Phoenix, of Hartford, OF
Charles Anderson's furniture which, We
suppose will cover his loss.
By sun rise the Hose companies wert
off for home
And soon afterwards people were clam
bering over and about the ruins,-anC
while doing so, Charles johnson, euginee
at the Harper House, discovered tn,
) charred remains of man, partly hangin!
to what might have been the stair way il
the American. Tie news flew over tow
and large numbers of people visited til,
, place The body was soon taken in charg
By the coroner, who called the followin,
jury of inquest DR.. g. g. Craig, fore
man, Adam Haymaker, John Albrecht
A. Baughman, VIM. B. Sargent, j. D
Vail, Chas Hansgeu, Richard Murrin, Joh
Brennan, VIM. Kale, VIM. 7. Schroeder
, Curtis B. Knox.
Only two witnesses were called As
sistant Marshal John Brennan, who test
b fed that the man was a vagraht, abou
50 years Of age, and was called ''Whistlin
p Jack.
5 Policeman Michael Murrin, testified tina
he had been in town about a week; tina
he wore a calico Cap and a long overcoat
) And that was about all the investig;
ton whereupon the jury found that /
p came to his death by being burned in tn
, American House.
J The inquest strikes us as very superi
3 cial one
4 Our reporter undertook to find out som
? thing more about the man, and Iearnt
that he was an Incorporate character; tn
he had the ability to initiate, by whistlin
many birds and animals, and to crea
j quite attractive music that he had be-
j an annoyancy to the policemen, who hi
u been trying to scare him away from tow
that he was a rowing character, but
= could find no one who could tell his nan
= or where he belonged.
j There are many rumors floating arOul
u in regard to this poor mau-one is that
% had been a soldier and that he had recer
n Iy received his alfyearly pension tn
l. he went 10 his room late, rather the wor
al for liquor, but that no one went to call h
n when the fire broke out. Some peoI
u think there was foul play, and robbery a
le arson. We know nothing as to the fac
y but we think it was the duty of the 60
Il ner n have made more thorough exa
CT nation Of the case, to the end that,
Or there is no truth in these rumors the I'M
IN cent might be indicated to the e
TX that. if any clue to a crime could be fou
az the guilty might be brought to justice a
r punishment