Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1894-05-19
TIMELY WORK.
The Fire Department Saves a
Business Block.
had GAINED GREAT HEADwAY.

Breaks Out In the Cornlce oe Weverh.u..r
. Denkmann's Buiadiag On Second
Avenue and Dsfes the Firemen. Who
Finally Conqaer-The Loss and Insurance.,
Fire broke out in the roof of the
S-story business block at the corner
OF Nineteenth and Second avenue.
and owned by Weyerhauser &
Denkmann, at few minutes before4
o'clock yesterday afternoon, and when
discovered the smoke was pouring
out under the cornice along the en- tire
Nineteenth street side, and was fast
gaining Roadway around on the Sec
Ond avenue front. A still alarm was
sent to the central engine house. and
hose No. l and the hook and ladder
truck responded instantly. the fire.
man being on the ground and bat
Ting the fire when the general alarm
sounded.
The smoke was issuing in great
volume from the top story by the
time the fircmen arrived, and in the
rear OF the upper story the fire was
burning furiously. The great extern
sion ladder was quickly elevated on
the east side of the building near the
rear.
Fighting the Fire.
Owing to the high wind the fire.
men had some difficulty in placing
the ladder, but they soon had it in
place, and mounting the building,
attacked the fire effectually at the
start, though it seemed to defy them,
and as fast as they beat it dowa
in one place it broke out in another
along the wooden coping of the build
ing. Chief Brahm at once attached
another hose, and while he held the
fire in the cornice in check on one hand
he cut through the roof and attacked
the flame that was working in the
upper story. The wind was blowing
q steady gale from the river, and for
the instant it looked as il the build
ing was doomed, while at the same
time it became apparent to all that
were the flames to get the best of the
firemen the Harper house, across
Second avenue. would be in great
danger. The firemen demonstrated
their ability to cope with the situa-
ton, and in an hours time the fire
was extinguished. Through the
timely and effective work of the
firemen the building and adjoining
property had been saved.
| The Loss and Insurance.
The building was occupied on the
third floor as tailor shop for j. b.
thinner, and on the second fl ,or by
the families of ID. Roy and w. W.
Bowlby and by Messenger & Cos.
joo printing establishment, while the
stores on the first floor were those of
j. b. thinner, merchant tailor. and
Ramser & Sons jewelry store. the
Star block Immediately adjoining the
burned building on the west. but was
not damaged. The building, which
is the property of Weyerhauser 4
Denkmann, was damaged to the ex-
tent of $4,000, which is covered by
insurance of 5000 in Hayes 4
Cleaveland's agency, the policies of
$4,000 each being held by the Man
chester of England, and the Western
of Toronto companies. The jewelry
stock of j. Ramser Il Sons was heav-
lily damaged by water, though large
portion Of it was moved into the
storeroom in Dart block, formerly
occupied by M. L. K. The firm new
ertheless figure the loss at some
thing near 500, which is covered by
insurance in the agencies OF Reid
Bros. Henry Schill, Carl Hellpenstell
and F. Bahnsen. Some of the goods
in j. b. Zimmer's store were moved
out, but the bulk of the stock was
protected by means of a tarpaulin,
and the loss will not exceed $50.
The Messrs. Bowlby suffer loss OF
$500, which is fully covered by in
surance. Messenger & Co.'S. loss is
slight.
| The total loss will be about IS, 500,
with insurance of more than an equal
amount.
The Origin.
The fire broke out in the north
east corner Of the building, near the
roof, and it originated in the room
occupied by Zimmer's tailors, the
pipe of the stove used by them run
ming through scuttle hole OF
two feet or more in the ceiling to
the roof, and this was the cause of the
fire, and it had burned considerable
in the woodwork under the roof be.
fore it was discovered.
| What the Fire Demonstrated.
The fire demonstrated number Of
things. First and above all, it should
serve to impress the city with the
mistake of considering for an instant
the feasibility of dismautlins the
hook and ladder truck. Had the
truck been delayed yesterday. as il
would unavoidably have beer
under the plan proposed, O
having no team for it. bu,
of bringing it out under second
| ALARM, IN, ona of the OutlyinT com