The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1901-05-24
FIRE THREATENS A BLOCK
DeyOured Second Floors of NOrthrups'
and Cowan g. Ausherman's Stores
-WaterwOrks Give Returns

Fire was discovered about IL O'Clock
Tuesday night on the west side of the
square and the alarm rang out just as
the people were dropping to sleep.
AS a result the Cowan g. Ausher-
man grocery and drug stock, and M.
Grady's tailoring stock are mass of
ruins. The total loss will reach close
to $4,000, partly covered by insur-
ance.
None knows where the fire started,
but it is supposed to have made its
appearance in the rear of the ware
room of the Cowan & Ausherman
store, on the second floor. The fire
company responded promptly to the
call and soon had line of hose con-
nected with the plug at the corner of
Madison and West, later connecting
another with the plug at Walnut and
West. Still the fremen could not
locate the flames and could only throw
streams into the smoke, which rolled
in heavy clouds from every opening,
binding and choking the men. More
hose was called for to make a third
connection, but there was none left
Mayor Campbell was present and or
dered that the 500 feet stored in the
city hall awaiting shipment back to
the Hose Manufacturing Company be-
cause the council believed it inferior
because slightly under weight be
brought. This was done and soon
four lines of hose, up the north stair
way, over the roof, into the rear win
dows and up the south stairway, play
ed on the buildings. For several
hours the, boys worked liked good ones
and finally got to the fire and quickly
had it out.
The entire upper floors, in the rear,
are a mass of blackened ruins. The
roof fell in and later the rain came to
destroy the goods which the smoke
and hydrant water had not touched.
The Northrup building was empty up
stairs, but the grocery building con-
tanned a large amount of goods in
bulk.
Wednesday M. Grady, Cowan &
Ausherman andIBarclay-Shield we're
closed, awaiting the insurance adjus-
tor. The Pacific Express has moved
into Robinson's grocery temporarily.
The Grady store is mostly water soak
ed, and so considerable salvage will
be possible. The Cowan g. Ausher-
man stock looks pretty bad.
NJ. Grady had iSl 400 insurance on
his stock and says it will fully cover
his loss.
The Northrups always keep their
buildings insured, but having recently
repaired this building had not yet
placed the new insurance and their loss
will be close to 81, 500.
Cowan & Ausherman carried $1,000
on the stock in the North British aud
$500 in the Home. They had $1,000 on
the building on the Underwriters of
New York
The eBarclay-ShieldsCompany' IS loss
is slight ond fully covered, as is the
damage to the X. =. hall overhead.
The walls of the buildings are appar-
emily uninjured as the fire burned most
fiercely near the partition.
Only a small crowd attended the fire
as compared to the usual turnout, but
they stayed until morning. And all
agree that Frank Canatsey deserves
credit for good work, as do the indi-
viduals of the volunteer company.
Everybody was excited but the fire
boys held themselves together admir-
ably. 1t was nasty fire to fight
and without waterworks there would
most assuredly have been blackened
waste clear south to the New York
Store corner. The interest on the
plant is paid for 1901.