The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-04-20
Large ConAagratiOn
An Important Business Part Of the City
Threatened with Destruction.

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consequence her fire department and
citizens have gained good reputation
for successful dealing with the destroy
ing element. The experience # last
Friday night will add to their reputa
ton, for never was so threatening a
manifestation checked so speedily and
with so little loss, where the circum
stances seemed to indicate a vast de-
struction. At one time the entire block
ON the east side of Main Street, extend
ing from the corner of Sandusky to
Railroad street, seemed doomed and had
the fire got once fairly started,in it, the
loss must have been fearful and wide
spread, as the wind was blowing quite
gale, aud the sparks and burning
embers were being carried to the west
and southwest to the distance of three
Or four squares.
About 20 minutes of ten O'clock,
after nearly all the stores were closed,
but while a dance was progressing in
the hall in Davis Block, some of the
dancers in looking from the windows
opening to the last, saw flames issuing
from the warehouse owned by the
Odd Fellows, at the rear of their lot,
and used as store room by d. G
Connell. The wareroom was filled
with boxes and other light infiamma
BILE material, and though the alarm
was promptly given, it seemed but a
moment until the whole building was
in flames, and had communicated its
destroying spirit to the barn and store
house of l.. McManness which adjoin-
ing it on the South, land in which
were several barrels of &C al oil which
fed the fiames,) and to the ice house
off. Karg, on the north, as well as to
the several small buildings which
stood between it and the brick build
ings fronting on Main street In the rear
of the Odd Fellows block, supported on
posts about one story above ground.
was frame addition which soon took
fire, and threatened to communicate
it to the main building. South of
McManness' barn and almost adjoining
was the old brick block formerly oc
cupied by the JEFF and by Rhul
Bros, but recently purchased by Fred
Fillwach, and occupied by him as a
dwelling and saloon, while adjoining
it on the west was the old P. o. build
ing now occupied by John Dennison.
The sparks and embers falling upon
the old JEFF building soon set it on
fire, and threatened the destruction of
the entire corner, up to the store OF
H. b. Green, which at one time was
in serious danger. So rapidly had the
flames spread that although the alarm
was given promptly and the fire de-
partment was speedily upon the
ground, before any water was thrown
by the department the situation had
reached the points described. Mean
while bucket brigade had been ex-
temporized, and was doing faithful
work in the rear of McManness' store,
and upon the outhouses in the rear of
H. b. Green's and Rhul Bros the only
places they could work to effect, owing
70 the fierce heat This was the first
check the fire received, but a moment
after the W elcome splash of the streams
of water from the engines was hailed as
a good omen. Soon the fierceness of
the heat allowed the bucket brigade a
chance to get out into the open space
between the main buildings and the
fire and here they worked efficiently,
cooperating with the department in
subduing the flames. The flames were
stayed in the old JEFF. Block, and be-
fore midright, Dennison had moved his
machinery back into the old Postof1ce
building, and there was general
sense of relief that a conhagration
which had threatened so much had
been subdued with so little loss.
During the progress of the fire the
sparks and embers which were carried
through the air and deposited on
bousas. barns, &C., set fire SO several
places and but for the watcbfulness
Inanifes ed might have started de-
structive fires. The Joy House barn
was at one time on fire, and was only
saved by watchfulness.
No accidents OF any moment occurr
ed, though several were slightly burned
about the hands in their endeavors to
save property. We append a list of
the losers with an estimate of the losses.
10. o. F. Loss on Main building
S16-insured. Loss on outbuildiDgs
and warehouse S300-no insurance.
Adam Fullhart, owner of building
in which is Hume & Halls store, loss
on outbuildings S2O0-no insurance.
Fred Karg, loss on ice house $500
no insurance.
Fred Fillwach, loss on old JEFF.
block about S1500-insured for $1,000.
John Dennison-loss S40-no insur-
ance.
Isaac Davis, loss on building 500
insured.
Henry Isham, loss S50-no insur-
ance.
Lem. McManness-loss on building
and stock S3OO-no insurance.
H. b. Green, loss on stock S3OO-in-
sured.
Hume & Hall, loss S25-no iusur-
ance
d. C. Connell, loss ON stock $50
no insurance.
Whole loss may be set down at about
S27, 90 with an insurance of S14 ,00-or
a net loss of 81, 800.
Was 1t Murder?
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