Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-06-25

Fishers harness shop to VIM. Scott'S
feed store.
Those early days furnished fire in
1868 which destroyed the Grand
Rapids House. severe loss was caused
in removing the goods, the amount of
damage was again heavy. amounting
to about $4,000 This house has been
replaced by Spafford. Cole & Lipke's
brick building.
The fourth time the flames visited
Grand Rapids was in March of 1870.
sweeping away the old NeeveS block.
which was occupied by DAILY & Huzy,
meat market. ". c. Warren. cabinet
ware. Mr.. Cameron, harness shop. NJ.
{. Woodwork. rooms for justice office
and harness shop. The loss was esti-
mated at about $25, 900. The buildings
were insured, but in poor companies,
for at that time the city authorities
! did not guard against fire, and no
| good company would carry risks in the
city. This block has been replaced
by Mrs. Hamm'S brick building and
the wood buildings intervening this
place and Hanrahans.
Again about one O'Clock Sunday,
March 23rd, 1878. our citizens were
a night which will always be remem-
bered by the old folks as one of sorrow
and deSOlatiOn, The blaze originated
store of H. B. PhilleO & Co. In a
very few minutes the red demon had
eaten its way to the drug store, burn
ing the oils, pitch and rOsin, made
quick work and sad havoc. The
flames next went to the jewelry store
Of n. E. EmmOns, whose family
resided in the rear of the building,
and they barely escaped with their
lives, then on, undaunted, to the har-
nesS-shOp of StOwell & Lord, into an
empty building joining them, then
taking hold Of the large Rablin Hall,
underneath of which was L. B..
Warmers hardware store. Here the
| flames were stopped in this direction,
by the efforts of our citizens, who
suspended from the stores of MeSSrS.
| Compton and SpatfOrd, blankets which
were saturated with water, passed
from the river by the organized lines
of the bucket brigade. A heavy wind
was blowing from the west which
soon became a gale, and so terrible
was its power that the flames leaped
across the street and caught in W. S.
| Miller'S general merchandise store,
burning up the contents before a
single thing could be saved. The
names Of the lOOSerS, and the amounts
lost are as follows; Jno. Rablin, $6, 900,
Hagerdy saloon, $500, n. E. EmmOnS,
$4,000, StOwell & Lord $1,000, W. S.
| Miller. $4,000, S. d. Warner, 81, 900,
Masonic Lodge, $500, \. BOguslawsky,
| 5000 These buildings were from
Spatfords to above Bittner's brick
building.
The sixth fire of Importance, occurred
on Saturday, June 14th, 1873, and again
urged the necessity of fire engine.
This time the fire caught in the
building of E. LaBleaux, atabout half
past three in the morning. The prin-
cipal loosers were e. LaBleauX, $4,000,
|. L. MOSher, meat market, $500,
Grand Rapids Tribune, $1,000, Geo.
Neeves, 5000. The only ones insured
were Neeyes and LaBleauX. The
bridge narrowly escaped the flames.
The total loss by this fire was $780, 900.
These buildings occupied the ground
ION which the stores from Silbers to
the Wood County Bank now stand
In the June election of 1873, engine
or no engine was the cry in politics.
No one was to be voted for who
was not in favor Of buying steamer.
The city council appointed mayor
Lunt and aldermen Reeves and
WOrden. committee of three, to attend
a trial of steamers at Green Bay.
lJune 26th, 1873, one was ordered. At
the trial of four engines the Clapp Il
Jones was the winner, and has proven
itself worthy to this day. The en-
gine arrived Tuesday, September
18th, 1878; it was accepted and a
Injecting ordered to form an organ
ization. On September 17th, a meet
ing was called for the purpose of
organizing fire company, j. n.
Brundage occupying the chair; and
Fire Company No. l, of the city Of
Grand Rapids consisting of fifty-eight
members was organized.
| On Thursday, March 10Th, 1874,
came an opportunity to test the new
city engine, and also the metal OF the
new company. The fire broke out
McRaith'S; a heavy wind was blowing
furious. No goods could be saved, SO
lQuick did the flames do their work.
The lOOsers were G.. F. Witter, 5000
NJ. J. McRaith. 1900, Mrs. Bogus
lawsly, SC, 900, Odd Fellows, $75, A.
Dodge, dentist, S4O0. These buildings
occupied the ground from Gus
Herschleb's to Freemans. The
steamer did not disappOint the peO-
pie. This was the first large fire after
the arrival Of the engine and the
organization Of the new company.
Both worked well and hard.
From ~ to II were years of peace,
at least SO far as disasters are con-
cerned. On Thursday, September
18th. 1877, our city was again
Threatened by fire. The marshes in
this vicinity were all ablaze: the
fOrked tongues Of the fiery flames
could be seen for miles; hundreds OF
tons of hay were burned. The woods
were also ablaZe. Great damage was
done to the timber in our vicinity.
| On Saturday morning, sixteen years
: ago yesterday. June 18th. 1885, the
: Rablin House was discovered to be on
t fire. The fire started about 3:3C
} Saturday morning, and in very short
> time the building was in ruins
: While furniture was being taken out,
II. H. Compton was struck on the
: head by a falling bracket, and for a
: time he was supposed dead. The fire
+ was thought to be the work Of an
] L. I'D -