Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-12

ing walls. Within one hour after the
fire alarm was turned in the entire
structure wiia in ruins, but the fire
| ragged for hours afterward. Fortunately
the heat and flames did not communicate
| to the underground gasoline wells IL
these had been reached there would
have been an explosion that would have
wrecked many buildings In the vicin-
| ity and probably injured many people.
| The fire started in the boiler room.
| which adjoins the main building on the
northwest. Whether II caught in the
| roof or in the coal is not known. When
| first observed ii had gained good head
way and had burned thru the roof Of
! the engine room. A few minutes later
| the flames had been swept thru the en-
tire main building, the floors and interi-
or of which were more or less impreg-
mated with oil because of the long use
of the structure as a linseed oil mill.
ENTIRE DEPARTMENT OUT.
Every one of the eight fire companies
OF the city responded to the alarm
turned In from box 81, and there was
need for every bit of equipment II not
for the men. Five streams were played
upon the fire, but to secure this number
the hose of several Of the companies had
to be coupled in order to reach the hy-
drants. Before the first line of hose had
been laid the fire had eaten Its way into
the northwest corner Of the main build
ing. and so intense was the heat and so
thick the smoke that the firemen could
not enter the building at a point close to
the fire. Soon the whole structure was
seething furnace, and the high north
west wind tanned the flames, which
shot high into space and reached almost
entirely across Third avenue.
The gallons of water poured into the
building seemed to have no effect what
ever, because of the burning oil. and
after the first hour the firemen oentered
their energies toward saving the adj
joining property.
MAKE A GALLANT FIGHT.
Regardless of the danger from eX-
pioding tanks and barrels and falling
walls, the firemen made a valiant fight
against great odds, and succeeded in
saving considerable of the companys
property adjoining the main building.
Three immense barreling tanks immedi-
ately to the west of the building were
full of oil. To keep these cool several
streams were constantly played upon
them after hope of saving the main
building had been abandoned. Adjoin-
ing the building on the north are some
sheds which contained large amount
of turpentlnc and two companies We're
stationed at this point, Messrs. Ruth
and Willard requesting the firemen to
save the contents if possible. This was
hard and dangerous task as the floor
of the store house was on level With
the basement of the main building, and
the flood of burning oil swept toward
the turpentine casks. Once the fire got
into the building but was fought back
and the turpentlne waa saved
The gasoline tanks. which are twelve
feet under ground and just outside the
main building, were also saved from de-
struction, altho there was danger of
their explosion from the heat. The fire.
men were once working from the roof
of the structure covering the gasoline
tanks, but were ordered away by Mr..
Ruth, who feared that they would ex-
plode. The office, barns, horses and
wagon tanks, besides the storage tanks
and turpentine sheds, were saved.
THE DESTROYED PROPERTY.
Few people realize the magnitude of
this institution, which has been builtsup
by local energy and capital. The burned