The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1886-02-06
Jadse Cations Residence Burned to the

Judge Cations Residence Burned Ia the
Ground.
In tho keen, freezing morning air, with
the thermometer IA degrees Below zero, the
FIRE alarm, Wedn esiay night. pealed forth
the warning that fire was in progress in
the Fifth Ward The bell tolied the signal
by Eve taps with an interval between each
warning. This was at 12:l5 and Is minutes
thereafter the department was on its way to
The beautiful residence of Judge Cation, on
the North Bluff, which was reported to be
burning. Shortly after the alarm was
turned in the FIRE broke out and could be
distinctly seen from the heart of the city.
There was no ono in the house at the time
but the help, Judge Cation and family having
been in Chicago for some months past. The
housekeepor, Mrs. Dumphy. first discovered
the flames shortly after II o clock, the smoke
having made its way TO her apartment. AT
ter rOusing the help, who escaped in their
night clothes, word was Immediately sent to
the residence of T. D. Catlin. about so yards
distant. The telephone was called into use,
but the telephone boy was taking his usual
midnight nap and it WAS fully quarter of
IN hour before he could be awakened THE
FREE TRADEE had occasion to refer to this
prediction of the telephone 10y last week.
When the fire department arrived at the foot
II the hill it was found necessary to hitch
the hose cart team to the engine along with
the other team TO help draw it up the steep
incline. Then both teams had to come back
to draw up the hose cart. AT | O'Clock the
engine was throwing Que stream Of water on
the fire. 1t was found impossible to attach
hose for second stream, AS to do this the
engine would have to be stopped, and with
the mercury at IA below, the water in the
hose would freeze ere it could be started
again. The iremCn fought the flames des
perately and succeeded in combining the fire
to the main portion OF the building, which
was completely burned down. They re-
manned on the ground until seven in the
morning, and had hard struggle with the
Two extremes Of heat and cold. The wafer
when it came out of the nozzle would freeze,
forming an ice.tube which would have to be
broken off frequently. The department was
short handed, having but ten of it's Is mem
bers on the spot which kept the boys busy
between freezing and burning, Mr.. Sher
ygonl'o IL
scene Of the cOndagration, was opened to the
department and they occasionally ran thither
10 warm up with hot coffee and then rcturn
10 the fight. At one time during the progress
Of the fire. Geo. Weis, Joe Pierce, Charley
Russell and Geo. JObst were on tkr uor o.
the kitchen building playing on the fire
through window Of the main building. A
chimney about twelve feet in length over the
roof was in dangerous proximity to Weis,
who Was warned Mat it was unsafe to remain
near it. All at once the chimney tOppled
over, striking Wei5 and crushing through
the roof. BY mere chance he fell on the
other side Of the roof and his life was saved. |
'NNN Az AhiANu hAAO Lou tHClE COuLB It buN inc
slightest possibility Of ever seeing him alive !
again. As it WAS he was knocked inseasible |
and taken down by his comrades who
brought him to Sherwood's, where DR.. Bas, |
com, who happened to DO on the scene, at |
tended him, and at length restored him to |
consciousness. When brought to the house
his clothes were frozen stiff as coat of mail |
and they had they had to be cut off his body |
to permit the doctor to discover the nature
Of his injuries. These were found to be very
severe, in the back and on the head. His
condition is declared dangerous, though per-
haps not critical
The residence stood on the north bluff and |
from this eminence commanded a fine view
Of the city southwark 1t was a handsome
specimen Of modern architecture, the ain
building being three stories in hight, and |
the grounds around we're large and beauti.
fully kept, Nought of this fine residence
now remains except the kitchen department,
and the loss caused by the fire must have
WIN vlcsuOpt Ou WHICH WIZ III III
surance of $4,000 on the building and So 900
on the furniture. The origin of the FIRE is
supposed to have been from the pipe which
ran through the three floors of the house.
large drum for heating purposes stood on
the second aOor, and it is supposed that the
carpet caught FIRE from this source Mrs
rowne. Judge Cation daughter. had, the day
previous to the FIRE, sent her baggage, con-
sisting of several large trunks, from Chicago
to the house, and was to follow the next day.
The trunks, which contained her wardrobe
and effects, were totally burned. In fact
there was but little saved from the burning
residence. Judge Caton's residence stood in
the midst offs large growth Of native trees
an Was finely shslei, and but little damage