Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-05-13
YESTERDAYS FIRES.
81 900 Loss to the Rock-Island
Company in the Burning of :
their Engine House, And u
Narrow Escape to the
Business Portion of
the Town,
Prompt Response to the Fire Alarm
by the Fire Companies,

| ny the Fire Companies.
Soon after ) o'clock yesterday the
alarm of fire was sounded and dense
clouds of smoke located the blaze ut
the Rock Island engine house. The
ever.alert fire boys were out Of the
house with the hose and hook and
ladder carts before the fire bell was
rung and made good time to the
scene of the fire. The hose was at
tached to the hydrant near John
Frahm's hotel, and when unreeled
was found to come far short Of the
range of the blaze. A portion OF
the company did good service in
keeping the flames away from the
turn-table, which was but few feet
removed from the engine house,
while others went to the hall to get
the remainder of the hose. When
this was attached a stream of water
was soon brought to play on the re-
manning portions of the burning
building. twas not possible to save
any portion of the engine house
proper, but an attached wood shed
was partially saved and several cords
of wood left unframed. The best
service OF the day was performed by
the company which kept the flames
from the turn-table. They worked
in intense and almost sitting heat,
and several of the number sustained
painful burns from cinders which
were falling fast from the burning
building. Lon lsham's wrist was
considerably burned, and Chas. b.
Drake was slightly burned on the
cheek. The faces and necks of
several more OF the company were
more or less scorched. They were
all earnest in the work, and put forth
just rs hearty endeavors in the
company's behalf rs they have ever
done in defending individual proper
l. y. The fire is supposed to have
started from cinders, and the build
ing was past saving point before
the alarm was given. The loss to
the Company will aggregate ST. 900.
The Rock. Island Company would
but properly recognize the Jealous
efforts of the fire boys in furnishing
them transportation over their lines,
SO tar as they can carry them, tree
to the tournament at Dubuque in
June. Their prompt response to
the alarm saved the turn-table, and
but tor the fact that the fire was well
under Roadway when the cry was
raised, they doubtless would have
made only slight damage possible to
the engine house.
The occasion served to demon
strate the needs of the fire depart
ments in the way of hose and cart.
The cart is only calculated to carry
500 feet of hose, and no provision is
made for carrying the remaining
portion. There are now $50 feet OF
available hose, which is not adequate
to occasions like this. The people
who reside on the outskirts Of the
town and within the incorporation
bear their burden of the tax, and are
not, with the present facilities for
fighting the fire fend, subject to
corresponding benefits. Mr.. E. ].
Freeman has frequently urged the
crying needs OF increased facilities
upon the council, but for various
reasons steps toward meeting the
same have been from time to time
postponed. This morning M r.
Freeman, who, by the way, is one
of the most public spirited men in
the town and who is always on the
alert to public interests, ordered 900
| additional feet of hose and new
cart. OF course the community will
uphold Mr.. Freeman in this action
and encourage the council in assum-
ing the obligation to the manufac-
turerS.
AT the same time the people were
running to this fire smoke was seen
coming out of the hall way between
Mrs. Holmes millinery shop and the
Advocate office, over b. F. Howald's
clothing store. Some gasoline had
been spilled upon the floor and had
caught fire in a manner to US UNI
known. A curtain PARTITION only
was burned, but in the absence Of
prompt assistance the liquid flame
would soon have spread to danger.
ous dimensions, and the very central
location would have endangered
thousands of dollars worth of proper
ty. As it terminated fortunately it
is but small instance, but the incipi-
ent flame of a mighty holocaust was
there.