Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-16
ALL ON ACCOUNT OF A DOG
ST., Bernard Pup Causes the Destruction by
Fire of Four Cottages,
AN INCIDENT OF LIFE IN EAST OMAHA
Huge a Canine TIPS over 4
Table and n Lamp and n De-
structive Fire Is the
Result.

What Mrs. O'Leary's COW once did to Chi
'cago, w. j. Writings dog King repeated
to East Omaha last evening, The huge st.
Bernard was the cause OF a confagration
that destroyed four Of the owns prettiest
cottages and for an hour lighted UP the
neighborhood for blocks around.
Three families were driven by the flames
into the street, homeless, and the commu-
nifty by Cut-Off lake suffered a less Of one
third Of its buildings.
The dwellings were on Locust street, be-
tween Fifth and Sixth. The one farthest
east was owned and occupied by w. j.
Whiting, proprietor of a small laundry next
door, on the corner. Members of the family
were absent and king" the dog, was
alone in the house, the sole custodian of
his owners property.
When King was a puppy he made his
doing place beneath the kitchen table. In
the last two weeks he has grown so large
that when he stood erect an end or side Of
the table was lifted an inch or two from
the floor. Despite this disadvantage of in
gress and exit King continued to show a
preference for his bed under the table and
it is by this circumstance that his owner
explains the origin Of the fire.
The dog is thought to have laid down in
his accustomed place and to have been
aroused by noises outside, so that he jumped
up quickly, tipping the table and sliding
the glass lamp off onto the floor. When
the flames spread King was intelligent
enough to escape by leaping through a win
dow.
Gives the Alarm.
Carl Negethon was standing a block away
from w. j. Writings house. His attention
was attracted by flashes of light which shone
thpN,,rb H., l.o6o xyi,l,u- C,z,oot,.-
that the place had caught fire he started to
investigate, reaching the side yard just as
the st. Bernard crashed through the glass,
carrying the frame and a screen with him.
Negethon alarmed the neighbors and a
passing wheelman rode to Lamoreaux's ice
house, telephoning there for the Omaha fire
department.
Bucket brigades we're formed, but the wind
famed the flames till they spread to the ad-
jacent dwellings and all four cottages were
burned almost to the ground before the
firemen arrived. Chief Redell's men worked
quickly and efficiently, but there was little
left for them to do. The loss amounted to
nearly 81. SOC and is covered by insurance.
The occupants of the dwellings adjoining
w. ]. Writings are e. Eckman and Lon
Kimball and their families, one of the
houses being vacant. Three were owned by
an eastern company, the local agents being
Potter, George & Co. They were worth $500
each and were insured for $500.
l.. Kimball is an employe of the lead works
with a family numbering three. E. Eckman
is a ~peddler. He has a family of four. The
furniture belonging to them was saved, but
they had to make a temporary abode by the
lake bank.
The Whiting laundry was saved. but the
house and it's contents were destroyed, as
the doors were locked and the ~neighbors
were unable to enter to carry out the fur
niture. The loss was $500 and was insured
for $500. The fire burned from $3.50 o'clock
to 1890.