The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1899-09-14
Quilted BY FIRE,
of Mrs. Nellie PETER on
York Street Is Badly Damaged
by the Flames.
OIL STOVE CAUSED THE BLAZE.

Firemen Make a Heroic Struggle to Save
the Home and It's Contents but the Build
ing Is a Total Wreck-Loss Is Estimated
to Be over So, 900 on the Building and
$500 on the Contents-Partially Covered
by Insurance but Amount Not Known.
The most destructive fire which has
occur1ed in this city for several years
started shortly before noon today in
the large residence and boarding house
at the corner of Chicago and York
streets, owned by the Parsons estate
and occupied by Mrs. Nellie PETER as
a boarding house. The alarm was
sent in from the Central engine house
and when the fremen reached the
house was almost a mass of flames.
Flames were extending from all parts
of the roof and smoke, which came in
great masses from the windows and
doors, almost overcame the fremen in
their efforts to get to the center of the
flames. Three lines of hose were at
, once turned on the blaze but it had
gained such a Roadway before the
arrival of the firemen that the flames
seemed to defy any material advance
| from the boys in their rubber suits and
continued to enve1op the building in
smoke and fire. The firemen worked
for over an hour before the flames
were subdued and when the water was
turned off the house was a total wreck.
The walls still stand and the roof is
partially intact but the house is so
badly damaged that it will be almost
impossible to rebuild it. Many excit-
ing incidents occurred during the fire
in the efforts of people to rescue waltz
able household treasures from the
flames and smoke. From the time the
department reached the house it was
almost impossible to gain admission to
the place on account of the smoke.
A valuable box of papers was in one
of the front rooms of the house, and as
it contained the deeds to the property,
as we'll as many other things of value,
a great effort was made to secure it.
Louis Pofah1 volunteered to secure it
and went into the smoky room, and
after quite an experience returned with
the treasures.
| Mrs. PETER was seen and stated that
! the fire originated in a coal oil stove
which was being used in the kitchen
| in the northwest corner of the house.
! She had been using the stove and
| about noon she noticed that the house
! was filled with smoke. She ran into
! the kitchen and discovered that the
burner on the stove had been turned
up too high and had caught fire to the
sides of the house. In another minute
! the fire and flames were spreading to
all parts of the house. No time was
! given to remove anything from the
house and for this reason much of the
furniture and hangings in the house
were completely destroyed. That part
of the furniture which escaped the
flames was ruined by the torrent of
water which was poured into the
house by the fremen in their efforts TO
suppress the flames.
The loss from the fire can only be
roughly estimated at this time, and it
is stated by competent people that the
loss will amount to little over $4,000.
The house was one of the best built
houses in the city. 1t was built many
years ago, and nearly $4,000 has been
spent in it's construction. It was re-
modelled only a short time ago at an
expense of several hundred dollars.
The loss on the building is placed at
| So, 800, The furniture and other things
in the house, which are almost totally
destroyed, will add a loss of $500 more.
Several people were living as boarders
in the house at the time of the fire, but
they succeeded in getting their posses
sions out of the burning building. In
the east part of the house large am
cunt of furniture belonging to two
families from Lockport, N. Y, had
been stored, but it is not thought that
this furniture is badly damaged.
The fire department of the city is to
be commended for the splendid and
heroic efforts which were made to sup
press the flames.