The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1883-03-15
RuRLow's ACCOUNT.

MONDAY, March l2.
Saturday night about 1890 O'Clock,
or more properly speaking. very early
Sunday morning. the citizens of Ameri-
Gus were again startled by the cry of
"flrer" Those first upon the scene of
action are unanimous in saying thst the
fire first started in the building OF J. w.
10y, occupied by Jacob Lesh and E. B.
Lesh, as q grocery store, under the firm
name of Lesh Bros. Examination OF
the premises warrants the assertion that
the origin of the blaze was the work of
an incendiary, for where the fire start
ed there was found a bunch of charred
matches, left upon the rocks, showing
that a whole handful Of them had been
ignited at once, and the pine of The
match used for ,kindiing. No clue
Is as yet found as to who the perpe-
traitor of the deed was, nor no
well grounded suspicious for the cause
of the action. The building, which is
total loss, was worth about 81, 500, upon
which we are informed there was no in
sarance. Mr.. j. w. 10y, the owner of
the building, was at home sick in bed
at the time of the fire. Lesh Bros. had
large and well assorted stock of gro
| ceries, notions, boots and shoes and
glassware and -queensware and kept
what might be called a general store,
valued at $500, and insured for 81, 900.
This loss will fall heavily upon the
Lesh Bros, as they have worked for
years with pnceasing energy, coupled
with honesty and integrity, to accumu-
late what was swept away from them in
a single night. The building on the
south of the store was owned by Rich
ard Adams, who resides near Yates Cen
ter, in this state. 1t was &C.
cupied by Mrs. r. B. Edmin-
ston as dwelling and millinery store.
So quick, yet so sudden was the work
of the flames, that Mrs. EdminstOn and
family barely escaped with their lives.
leaving their goods and household fur
niture to the mercy of the devouring ell
ements, not even having time to save
their clothing. They were compelled
to seek shelter in the nearest dwellings.
The building which they occupied was
valued at about $500; Mrs. Edminston's
household furniture at about $3.50, with
$500 stock of millinery goods, all Of
which, both buildings and contents,
were total loss, as:there was no insur-
ance upon the property. The total loss
by this fire is about $6.25O, only $4,000
OF which is covered by insurance.
INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS.
D. p. Tressler, in his eagerness to get
to the fire, stepped into wagon rut and
wrenched his ankle so severely as TO be
very painful to him.
During the conffagration cable chain
was procured and the safe of Lesh Bros.
was pulled out of the burning embers
before it was very much heated. 1t is
supposed that the books and papers of
the firm are mostly preserved.
Large hooks were made of the light
ming rods, with which the men went
for the chewing tobacco, while the boys
took "theirs' in canned goods already
cooked.
AS viii Howard expresses it "Ameri-
Gus can't well afford three picnics like
this in one ear"
Men had to be stationed all over the
roof on the rear end of the postoftlce
building to keep it from being ignited.
The danger was so great that Mrs. Hill,
post mistress, deemed it wise eXpedient
to be on the move, and grabbing the U.
S. mail she started for the depot as a
place OF safety. Had the wind been in
the north the close proximity of this
building and the Intense heat OF the
flames would have placed the saving of
the drug store and posiof1ce beyond the
power Of the bucket brigade" AS it
was the danger was so imminent that all
the furniture except the heavy pieces
were moved out of Mrs. Hills part of
the building.