Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-11-06
MORE tEHQBTRN.lEf
Two More Cases of Incendiarism in
the City.
school Brildfug 70. O Comp e:eIy
destroyed by the Fire Fiend-
Two Other Alarms

10 all appearance the fire bug who has |
been at work in Rock Island for some |
time past has not yet wholly satisfied his
hendish passion. Last night about $50 |
the department was called to Ninth ave-
nue. and Nineteenth street, where shed |
owned by Edward Koenig, was in flames. |
1t was in ali probability the work of an |
incendisry as there could have been no |
other cause for the fire, the house where |
1t belonged not yet being ready for occu>
psncy. The damage was nominal.
The second alarm at II 90 o'clock came |
| from the No 6 sch oil building in the Third |
wald. The fire was first discovered By
John Ullmeyer while walking down to his |
home on Eleventh street. He immedi-
a;ely ran to the Central engine house and
gave the alarm. The companies both
turned out in short order. No alarm was
turned in at the time, and the Centrsls
were the only companies on the grounds.
They always carry 1900 feet of hose on
the trucks, but this time 1t proved in
sufficient and it was necessary for them
10 return to the engine Il ouse Tor mole
They finally got enough hose and started
three stesms to play upon the burning
building, which was now a mass of flames
and smoke. Later the waterworks was
notified. and an alarm was blown, which
brought out the other companies, but it
was too late TO do much for the building,
AID it was almost totally destroyed.
The fremen who labored heroically to
save the building we're thwarted in their
efforts by the pressure of the water mains
being insufficient to carry the stream
higher than the first floor. but they worked
long and faithfully and had it not been
for the insufficient pressure they would
no doubt have succeeded in saving more
of the building.
When fret discovered. the fire was I'M
derneath the front stairway, and it is
thought the building was picked upon by
the fire fend on account of the out Of the
way location in which it is situated 1t
is further known to be the work of an
incendiary by boy who saw bundle of
hay late in the evening near the front
door.
School building No. located on
Twelfth street and Ninth avenue, was
popuisrly called the Centennial build
ing" its construction having been CON-
menced in June. 1875. and it was finished
the following year. 1t originally cost
$4,000. which with later improvements,
furniture etc, increased the valuation to
$t2.O00. There were at least $500 worth
of books in the building. The insurance
was $4,000, OF which j. NJ. Bufords
agency had $4,000 in the Home, So. 600
{ Hartford, and 81, 900 in the Aetus; aud
Hurst & Donaldson SO 500 in the Spring
field and $4,000 in the North Ameri-
can.
e Miss Anna kirkpatrick was principal
t of the building; there were six rooms
, with q total enrolment of 295 pupils.
What will be done with the pupils
temporarily. is not yet known. The
building will be reconstructed, of course.
and at once. if possible. no doubt. This
, morning Capt. Peetz offered the Daven-
port homestead as temporary school,
and the offer may be accepted.
That the loss of the school building is
due to the work of incendiarism there is
: no doubt whatever. and there is no little
anxiety in the city as to where the cow
, ardly wretch will strike next The police
, are putting forth their utmest exertions
! to run him down, and will 70 doubt
succeed if he continues his outrageous
work. It Is only to be hoped
he will be caught before he causes
even greater destruction than the great
loss of last night.
Abou, O'Clock last evening man
was discovered proving about some
empty boxes in the rear of Krell 81 Maths
I confectionery. but be disappeared before
the police could be notified.
An all rm of fire from the Second ward
l shortly before o'clock last evening
! called the department to the residence OF
? Judge g. W Peasants OF Second avenue,
I where fire had caught between the
flooring and brick wall caused by de-
fective crate and fire place. which had
just been put in few days ego. Chief
{ Ramskill was on the ground in good
/, season and allowed no hose to be taken
into the house as he saw Immediately that
it could be handled better and with less
. damage to property than by drenching
the house with hose. The floor was
torn up about the fire place and the flames
extineuished with but little damage to