The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1883-01-27
HOME MATTERS.
Fire.

the west IL bCcUlcu lIldt SuOulN d Ilc olSoN
out during the night it would require unu-
sual efforts to keep IL from spreading ex-
tensivcly. So much so did this appear thai
one of the officers Of the fire department
made the remark in substance that "lf
fire breaks out tonight nothing under
heavens will keep it under control"
With such thoughts filling the minds of
all II was no wonder that when about $3.50
cry of fire" was heard and the bel
rang GU, its alarm that all within hearing
Ifelt q thrill of horror and apprehension.
AT that hour Mr.. Calvin, having an otliC c
Ion the second floor of Reddick's block
closed his Office, and as he stepped INTO the
hall saw through window flames in a
room on the east side of the hall, over
Delsts grocery store. He al once gave the
alarm and in a short time Engineer Clegg
had steamer stationed at the hydrant Il,
the northeast corner ut the court house
but the cold was so intense that the Major
took the wise precaution to have all his
connections perfected to avoid all chance
Of freezing and dangerous delays. la ten
minutes from the time the.alarm was given
two streams Of water we're being thrown
upon the burning building; but the flames
had made such Roadway by this time that
the interior from the second floor upward
was pretty well ablazc. The second steam.
er was placed at the southeast corner, but
lack of water supply and cold boiler
caused 1t soon to freeze up and it was TAX
en- from the ground. A servlceable and
powerful stream was thrown by the court
house pump, a section Of hose having been
attacked to the stand-pipe. This supply
Oh water was limited and in halt an hour
was exhausted. However, during the pro
gress of the conf1agration at intervals the
engineer at the boiler house would turn on
his pumps and empty the cis'erns. 1t be.
came apparent IN a short time that the
whole building must go, and then the eli
forts Of the department and citizens were
lu'tSttSc wv ScitSpNo Va wv
stores and adjoining buildings. The latter
was no easy task and 1t required more than
ordinary endurance for the hose boys To
stand in The snow and direct the streams
which, breaking into spray, soon encased
them in ice; frozen feet, hands, ears and
noses were the rule. But they performed
their work well, aided by the presence of a
heavy body Of snow on all the adj accent
buildings. This snow, perhaps, was the
real salvation of the buildings on the east,
including Meaghers livery stable, the Gal.
loway House, and Whites and the Clifton
hotels. The fire was kept within the walls
of the block where It originated, but this
was totally destroyed together with most
Of the contents.
On the first floor of the building there
we're Futterer & Metzger's saloon, August
Deist's grocery and fancy goods, William
Schobert's barber shop and Mrs. Gregg's
millinery store. The second floor was oc.
cupied by the offices Of DR.. Hopkins, J. B.
Rice, J. F.. CALVIN and r. Heinrich and l..
A. Rislng's cigar factory, besides the stor,
age rooms, over the grocery, and Mrs.
Gregg's living apartments. On the third
floor we're the halls Of the Father Matthew
Society and the Ancient Order of Hlberni.
ans.
The total loss is placed at about $22 900
and is distributed abou' as follows: Fut.
.erer s. Metzger, on building, $4,000, and
$500 on stock; tota! insurance, $780,.
August Delst loss total, $500; insured
for $4,000. Mr.. Schobert, loss $50; fully
insured. Mira. Gregg, net loss over ,nsur-
ance realized, 800. Dir. Rising, loss 50,
500; insurance, $500. j. B. Rice, $500,
J. r. Calvin, $50, DR.. Hopkins, $75. Mr.
Heinrich, 1925, and IIibernians, $500, all
uninsured. The Father Matthew Society
lose $3.50; Insurance, $3.50. Insurance
|adjusters have been at work during the
past few days upon the losses, and have
made settlements of few small claims
The owners of the property arc consid-
ering the subject of rebuilding, but have
yet formed no definite plans.
In acknowledgement Of his appreciation
of the valuable services entered by the
fire department, L. II. Eames has sent Tn.
dine Hose Company his check tor $50; E.
Y. Griggs also sent the boys his check for
S25, accompanied by note IN which he
pays the company we'll deserved compli.
ment. NJ. b. Mitchell, too, sent them q
box of his Xxx cigars, while Bowman made
Q fine large photograph of the ruins, which
he appropriately framed, and it will be
placed IN the club room at the engine
house.
Reddlck's Block, thus destroyed, was
completed IN 1916, and was the first brick
block erected in ottawa. The stores on
the first floor were then occupied by J. G.
Nattinger. dry goods; Thomas Bougbtou,
dry goods; Kohn & Mande.baum, cloth.
lug, with the pos, office in the hall, John
Hlse at tha, time being postmaster. The
FREE TRADER Office was on the second