Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-28
THREE WRECKED HOMES.
The Result of Yesterdays Fire on
Second Avenue.
A Soriy Loss that Might Not Have
tion, ana the Amount OF Insurance.

The fire in the triple brick dwelling
house owned by Mr.. e. W. Hurst. and
situated on Second avenue. between
Eleventh and Twelfth streets. resulted in
the complete wrecking of the three
dwellings and the destruction of the
larger part of the household effects of the
three families occupying them. The de-
struction was. as stated last night, prob
ably one of the most telling illustrations
of the urgent demand of paid fire de-
partment that has ever occurred in Rock
Island, and the thousands of people who
witnessed the progress of the devouring
element from its incipiency. will SO tes-
tify. man who first discovered the fire
says it was on the roof where the middle
house and the one on the west Join, and
was no larger than hat. An alarm was
at once sounded. and the Franklins and
Hollys responded with commendable
promptness. and fully half an hour elapsed
before the hook and ladder truck arrived
with its livery stable team. Com
sequently the firemen who were
on hand were unable to get
at the fire and when it did throw
water it was not so much directed at the
fire itself as into the rooms of the build
ing. on The roof of which the FIRE was 10.
Gated. A gentleman who was close
observer of the scene from the first and
who lives in the neighborhood, said last
evening, "the firemen worked like Tro>
jams; they did the best they could proba
blv. but they were without discipline and
they did not have the facilities for reach-
ing the ire. They really seemed to beat
the fire INTO the house instead of putting
it ont. l don't mean to say a word
against the firemen, but it is the system
Wish to condemn and to condemn it
most ernphstically. Had there been
comprehensive alarm and company on
the alert yesterday such as come with the
scope OF q paid service. the loss would
have been less than 800. where it was
So, 900. 1t would have been better had no
water been thrown at all, as long as so
much time was lost at the outset. for then
the hon sehold property would all have
been saved"
To-day the walls of the dwelling are all
III "a
pletely Quilted. 1t was triple brick as
stated yesterday. was two stories high
with basement and attic. and was erected
ten years ago by Thomas Murdoch. Mr..
E. W. Hurst bought the property last
winter, and he estimates the house as
worth ABOUT S. 900. 1t was insured for
So. 600 in Mr.. Hurst's agency in the North
British and Mercantile companies.
The loss to the occupants in the way of
furniture. etc. is considerable. Msgis-
trate II. c. WivilI regards his loss as very
heavy His insurance is 81 900 in the
German American and J. NJ. Buford's
agency. Mfr. H. w. Haislin and Mrs.
Levy also lost heavily, but are insured
also in Mr.. j. M. Buford's agency; Mr..
Haislip for $500 in the Franklin company
and Mrs. Levy for 81 900 in the National
of Hart 'ord
hessrs. james Wivill and Meyer Levy
who were injured by falling ceiling
are as comfortable as could he expected
today. They were severely burned on
the back of the neck and head. but were
prompt y cared for By Drs. Eyster and
Calf and are recovering nicely.
This afternoons alarm was caused by a
blaze in the roof of smoke house at
Glass Bros meat market on Moline ave-
nue. near the Rock Island depot. A few
buckets of water sufticed TO ouench tie
flames