Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-05-30
Fires at AyOca ard BarneveId.
The Dodgeville Sun of last week
gives the following report of the re-
cent fire at Ayoca:

SHORTY after noon last Saturday flames were
seen issuing from the ice house on Fifth street IL
Avoca, belonging to John Mckinley, and which
reached up to within two feet of the north side
of the Wisconsin House. The fire alarm was
given at once, and the engine was soon on the
ground, but Notwithstanding the most strenuous
efforts OF the tremen, il was soon apparent that
not only the ice house, but also the hotel which
belongs to the George Williams estate, was
doomed. The efforts of the large crowd were
then directed toward the saving of the household
goods from the hotel and the prevention of far
ther spreading of the destructive element But
by this time the wind had increased to almost q
gale, and this together with the fatal proximity
OF the other buildings rendered all efforts futile
except the saving of McGinley's large saloon
which was on fire several times and badly
scorehed, and through this the saving of all the
buildings on Front street from the old Dudgeon
store clear up to the large stone warehouse.
From the hotel the angry flames rapidly spread
to the fine residence, store and barn of Mrs.
RudeSdorf to the barn of Daniel Lynch, to the
two large barns connected with the hotel, and
to the dwelling house and barn Of John Mckinley;
and TO the tired and almost disheartened work.
ers 1t seemed as though the whole town was
doomed. Just here, after the Front street build
lngS had been saved by almost superhuman ex-
ertions, 1t was found that the large hop house
of Samuel Aldred, used by him as barn and
granary, and situated about half mile from
the other fires, was completely bathed in flame.
Mr.. and Mrs. Aldred had run into the village at
the first alarm of fire, and left no one at home
to protect their property, SO that the burning
shingles carried by the wind found easy work
before them in the hay stacks and out buildings
there. Numerous wood piles fences, and minor
out-bulldingS which were in the pathway
of the contiagratiOn also went up in smoke
Taken III in all, it is by far the heaviest aictiou
that Ayoca has ever been called upon to suffer
1t seems as though the whole of our please Mt
little village is doomed redistribution in the
fire scarcely is the smoke fairly cleared up
from one fire ere we are called to another. The
losses here will aggregate about $4,000, while
but small percentage is covered by insurance.
The barns were well filled with hay and grain
while Mr.. Aldred lost all his harnesses, fifteen
tons of hay, seyenty-tive bushels of corn. and
number of hogs. The cause of the fire is I'M
known, but on account of the time at which it
occurred, the idea of incendiarism can hardly
be entertained
And The Chronicle contains the
following in regard to the Barne-
weld fire:
The Canterbury warehouse at Barneveld was
discovered to be on fire at about one O'Clock
Tuesday morning, the flames having gained such
Roadway that it was impossible to save eithe r
building or contents. Thomas Williams lessee
lost 600 bushels of OATS a lot of wheat and
nearly a car load of salt, on which he had
81, 600 insurance in the Hekla, and Cunningham
x Manning lost about 500 worth of farm ma
chinery. Williams had 1900 bushels of oats in
the building, but about 400 bushels was saved
in a damaged condition after the fire The
building and other property were uninsured"