Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-27
FIRE.
Thousands of Dollars Go Up
In Smoke.
SEVEN BUILDINGS BURN
Gasoline Stove Explodes in Restaur-
and at Midnight and Before 2o'clock
Large Portion of the Business
Part Was in Mass of Ruins.

Large Portion of the Business
Part Was in Mass of Ruins.
| Hedrick, Nov. 23.-(Special)- Fire
last night destroyed thousands of dol
lars worth of property, and leveled Sc
Ven business houses to the ground, at
this place, including two drug stores,
che general merchandising store, one
clothing store, restaurant, grocery
store and barber shop. The fire orig
mated in the rear of the restaurant
about midnight, and was caused by an
explosion of gasoline stove. Before
2 clock the buildings were reduced to
ashes. The wind blowing from the
northwest at more than an ordinary
rate, the fire spread to all the adjoin.
ing buildings very quickly and but lit.
tie could be done to hold the fire in
check. Vigorous efforts on the part OF
the citizens in applying salt and water
OF the bank building on the south and
on other buildings to the east saved
them flcm destruction and prevented
the spread of the flames. A few saved
a very small portion of their goods, but
most lost heavily. But little insurance
was carried on account of the high in.
surance rates that prevail here. All
of the buildings destroyed We're of
wOod.
1t is no surprise that Hedrick is call
ed upon to suffer such a serious loss
at this time, as there was absolutely
no fire protection. 1t is impossible to
give an estimate of the loss but it will
reach into the thousands of dollars.
Further Particulars.
| Hedrick, Nov. 23.-(Special.)- 1.-The
pretty little town of Hedrick pre-
serts sorry sight this morning, the
ruins of an entire block of her business
houses smouldering from last nights
fire, which almost wiped out the city.
With absolutely no fire protection, and
the wind blowing hard from the north,
| it locked at first as if the entire town
was doomed. Every man, woman and
cliid iii the little city was hustled out,
the women and children congregating
at points of vantage. while the men
and boys worked heroically to save the
town. Buckets were brought into use
from every conceivable place and lines
of men were drawn from all the wells
| N the neighborhood. Others brought
| ladders and worked with might and
main to check the ravages of the
fames, as they licked UP one building
and another, and crawled on to the
next. 1t was just 10 o'clock when the
alarm was first given and it was not
until after 2 o'clock that the fire was
under control, and the tired and worn
lort inhabitants repaired to their homes
after a night, the like of which He'd.
rick has never before experienced.
The loss, as near as can be estimat-
ed this morning, is between $4,000
and $4,000. with hardly one-third of
it covered by insurance. The fire
started in the restaurant of Chas. Will
son, and was caused by the explosion
of a gasoline stove in the rear of the
building. 1t spread rapidly and soon
the entire block was in flames. The
names of the losers by the fire and
the amount of their loss and insurance
follow.
Peter Engeldinger, drug store, a
total loss. Mr.. Engeldinger also own
ed the building and estimates his loss
at fully $4,000, and only partially GOV
cred by insurance.
F. l.. Connolly, drug store, sustained
Il loss Of $4,000 on his stock of goods,
which was total loss, and besides
lost his entire household goods, up
] stairs, amounting to 5000. He car.
ried insurance of $1,000 on his stock
and some also on his goods. The
building was owned by w. w. Hagan,
of Chicago, and the loss on the prop
erty is $1,000, with no insurance.
i Moses Smith, general merchandise.
Mr.. Smiths loss is S1,500, partially
! covered by insurance. The building
WIS owned by Mrs. Dan Smith, loss
4 $1,000, re insurance.
Harris, Cuddy. & Co., clothing, car
4 ried a stock of $4,000, which is total
4 loss, with insurance of $4,000. Lee
Fleeler owns the building and esti-
mates his loss at $1,000.
4 Chas. Wilson, restaurant. In Mr..
Wilson's lace the fire started. His
loss is estimated at $780, with insur-
ance of $500. Dr.. e. Quinn, the own
er of the building, estimates his loss
at $500, with small insurance
i Ben Stout, barber shop. Mr.. Stout
saved his furniture, but the building
owned by Mrs. J. Lowenberg, was a
total loss, with no insurance.
i G. ]. Hagan, groceries and queens
ware. Loss $4,000, insurance $500,
Building owned by Mr.. Hagans broth
er, with loss of $1,000.
The above losses are, of course,
4 only estimated, while in some cases
it will probably be learned later that
insurance was carried. The fire
swept the entire block in which it
started. with the exception of two
buildings, a pool room and saloon,
at the end of the block.
The only injury sustained during
the fire was by C. J. Hagan, who was
struck on the head by a falling bucket
from the top of the bank building. A
cash several inches long was made,
but the injury was not serious. Many
o. the buildings across the street had
narrow escapes, and it was only by the
har kind of worlk fbat 40 a,,fira