The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-11
OGDEN DEPT.
AERaLD BRUNCH OFFICE.
5l3 UTAH LOAN q TRUST BUILDING.
Ogden, October II.
COURT HOUSE FIRE.


badly damaged by fire yesterday. The
offices located therein are today
either burned out or are at least drip
ping with water and are about bare
of paper and plastering. The tower
part is entirely burned and the clock
is ruined.
About 5:45 yesterday morning the
court house was observed to be on fire
by John Ledwidge, an operator in the
Western Union office. He at once
turned in the alarm and then ran to
the burning building Being familiar
with the Office of his brother, County
Clerk Joseph Ledwidge, he broke in
the doors, carried out the few papers
that were not IN the vault, also the
typewriter and other office fixtures.
All the records in this Office were
saved
The fire department was soon on the
ground, but the fire was a difficult one
to fight. 1t was burning most fiercely
in the upper part and soon the tower
was consumed. The heavy weights
and metal work of the clock fell
crushing down with great force and
carrying embers into portions of the
lower floors.
1t is conceded IN all sides that the
fire department did splendid service
The flames were stayed as soon as
could have been reasonably expected.
During the first few minutes after the
fire was noticed an exciting time was
going on in the corridor of the base
ment Jail. Four prisoners We're con-
fined there-Louis Schlagler and Ed
Egan, awaiting trial for grand lar
ceny, and Burt Starr and G. P East
land, sent up for seventeen days for
selling liquor to Indians. They were
completely terrorized; their shouts and
yells could be heard above the other
turmoil They seized their furniture
and hurled it at the bars, crashing
the plastering and window glass. Fin
ally Deputy Sheriff Sullivan arrived
delighted to see him than they ever
were before They were taken to the
city Jail where they are still kept.
1t was one of the most difficult fires
to handle that this city has ever seen,
and the county officials and others ia
miliar with the conditions unite in CIV
ing great praise TO the fire depart
ment.
Conservative estimates of the losses
sustained place the damage to the
building at $1,000. Furniture and
other property destroyed will likely
raise the amount to $4,000. The build
ing was insured for about $4,000. The
following companies hold the insur-
ance: Commercial Union, $1,000: Liver
pool, London and Globe, $500; Con-
necticut,. $1,000; Sun, $1,000; Orient,
$500.
Various theories to account for the
origin of the fire were advanced. Elec-
trio light wires and fire from stoves in
the offices We're among them.
The most sensational theory was
that prisoners in the Ho Jo,aJ
stuffed rags and paper into an air shaft
also used for a, groove down which the
weight of the clock moved up and
down. One of the prisoners, Schadeler.
charged the other three with it.
Jealousy was known to exist between
him and the other men and later in the
day this theory was discredited after
shafts had been made
The county court met last evening to
provide new quarters for the officers
and take other measures made neces-
sary by the emergency.
There were no invaluable records
lost
The collectors Office has been moved
temporarily into the Office of George
j. Kelly in the Fifth National bank
building; the clerk and recorder will.
it is expected, move into the quarters
now occupied by the Salt Lake and
Ogden Gas. Light and Fuel company.
Last night three prisoners made a
full confession that they started the
fire in the hope of escaping. 1t seems
that in order to reduce expenses
guards have been dispensed with. and
these prisoners, NJ Egan, held for
horse stealing; G. P Eastland and
Bert Starr. imprisoned for furnishing
Indians with liquor. recently tried to
escape by digging a trench. They had
excavated to within five inches of the
foundation when they became dis
couraged and gave it up. Then they
hit upon the fire plan, and filled the
shaft through which the ton weight
for the court house clock drops, with
con'bustibles. They started the fire at
9 o'clock on Wednesday night and it
ing.