Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1885-12-12
The Fire.

Inc Fire.
Last Monday night, at q little after seven
o'clock, an alarm Of fire was sounded loud
and long from the city hall. In 3 very short
time the streets were full of people, and it
became known that tho contents OF the cellar
OF Mr.. VIM. s. Clagett's store were on fire.
Smoke could be seen oozing out from every
opening, and the general hope was that the
fire might be confined to the cellar, but un-
fortunately the waterworks which had not
vet been quite completed, had 10 water IN the
tank, and no steam at the pump house.
Messrs. Charles F. Homer and Charles
W.. LOOMS ran down to the engine
house and helped Mr.. Nesbit to fire
up. Everything was cold and no prepare
tions had been made, and though it seemed
an eternity to people up on the street where
the fire was threatening the whole town, yet
the water had filled the mains of the entire
city and was supplied. with pressure, within
an hours time.
The fire burst out of Mr.. Clagett's cellar at
about 7:15. In four or five minutes it burst
| through the front of the house. The awning
"oo ~ . oi0LSs ~ u AlC ian
along the awnings, east, rs far as Mr.. Sim
auer's. setting fire to fronts of the buildings
as far as Mr.. LIdwigs. Axes and ropes were
quickly brought into requisition and the
awnings were pulled down as far as Mr..
Shaxklett's. By this time Mr.. j. c. Me-
Crews two buildings, occupied by Mr..
Clagett and the postoffice, were a mass of
flame. A pretty strong northeast wind,
shifting sometimes to the north. was blowing.
The McKinnon building across the street on
the west was on fire. Tae Laclede hotel, and
the Lewis building west of 1t were about to
take tire, no one being able to stand near
them, it being so hot. when provldentially the
McGrew house collapsed, or rather fell down,
rs the west wall Ven outward. It was
thought at first tn 1t this was the result of an
explosion, but the truth was that the brick
wall between the pOstoffice and Mr.. Clsgett's
store had sometime ago been removed to
throw both stores into one; afterward this
wall was replaced with a studding partition.
This Of course burned very rapidly, and
when it gave way the building fell. There
were only a few pounds of powder and part
Of one barrel of coal oil in Mr.. Clagettis store.
The cause of the fire is entirely unknown; it
is only certain that it began in the cellar.
For a time the chances for the town SEEM
ed desperate-a tremendous fire raging; the
fronts of q half-dozen houses In a blaze at
once; q moderately high wind blowing, and
no water-but at last the water came; the
nozzlemen pressed close up to the baking hot
walls; a dash here; a dash there; a depression
Of the blaze; smoke instead of flame; and.
thanks to the Haterworks, the block on the
west, already on fire, was saved.
LOSSES.
Mr.. VIM. S. Clagett occupied the two
floors Of the corner house, the cellar under
his own store and that under the postoffice,
with a large stock of general merchandise.
The valuation OF his stock In the burned
buildings was somewhere between 5000 and
$4,000; the insurance is $4,000. in good COM
panies represented by Messrs. E. Winsor,
Taylor & Lesueur and Robt. Hickliu,
Mr.. J. G. McGrew, owner of the two
burned buildings, valued them at SO. 900. he
had a very handsomely fitted up Office over
tine postofice, the furniture of which was
valued at $40o. Mr.. McGrew has S. 900 in
surance on his buildings; S4O0 on the coun-
tiers and shelving and $3.50 on his Office fur
nlture.
Rinehard i Edmonds were somewhat
damaged by water, and put to some incon-
yenience. They lost two valuable account
books, but cannot estimate their value.
The buildings across the street were slight
ly damaged in having glass broken and pain,
blistered by the heat.
Mr.. A. T.J ohnso packed his goods for re-
moyal, and then unpacked. He estimates his
damages at $40.
The loss of the postofice is very slight.
DIR. Fulkerson is looking for Il new location.
Mrs. Schofield who occupied the upper
floor of the Mchinnon building lost about
sixty or seventy dollars in damage to her fur
niture.
The telegraph Office met with no loss of
moment.
Mr.. Stevens had just opened an auction
house on the opposite corner. He had no
insurance. His doors were not opened and
he lost nothing.
MIR. VIM. Morrison owns the store occupied
by Rinehard 4 Edmonds, adjoining the burn
ed buildings. He thinks the west side-w all
will have to be rebuilt, His loss will be
$1,000; fully insured.
The estate of John McKinnon owned the
building west of the fire. 1t was damaged
about 800 or $500. Fully insured.
Mr.. Davis Duck has hop In the Mckin-
non building. He lost his bed, Il suit of
clothes and a pair of new boots, all valued
at S25.
Maj. T. B. Clagett's safe went through the
fire all o. Knot a coal ticket, even, was
scorched.
Mr.. W. S. Clagett's books were found to be
oil right In the safe after the fire.
Two Of Mr.. Philip Keller's large plate
glass windows were broken by the heat.
They were valued at 800 each.
Mrs. standish's goods were somewhat
damaged by packing and removing.
MIR. Morris Gratz packed 20 trunks full of
clothing and moved them to the courthouse
yard, and watched them all night.
Mr.. Ludwigs was damaged BY packing and
moving his stock.
NOTES.
The fire laddies lit nobly.
Well. the new houses will be better than
the old.
After the fire the boys-well, the bows
- were boys.
Hold on there, Bob, hold on, You're
hitting the wrong man
Inc boys couldn't help holding up the noz.
zles even before the Water came.
Mr.. Charles Wilson. who did good work.
got his wrist badly cut with glass.
For a while the excitement, and the pull.
Ing and hauling this way and that made a
circus of it..
MIR. Frank X. Tut while trying to save the
Mchinnon building had his breast and wrist
badly scorched.
Eight hundred bushels of roasted potatoes
were found in Clsgett's cellar, Some good
ones were saved.
Ed. Kramer looked like a fire king as he
stood in the Morrison door while the heat
was most intense.
MIR. Cavanaugh's fall from the Mckipnon
porch looked like a desperate one, but the
boys caught him on the fly.
1t was a trying time when waiting for the