Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1902-09-15
Destructive Blaze in
Yards of Weyerhaeu-
ser & Denkmann.
ENGINE SPARK CAUSE
Mill and Office Buildings
SaVed---CoVered by
Insurance.

One of the most disastrous fires
that has visited Rock Island in late
years broke out about 1920 this af-
ternoon in the yards of Weyerhaeuser
d Denllmam at the foot of First
street and Fourth avenue.
The alarm was turned in at p: 30
and the No. 3 and No. l hose com
panies went to the scene as fast as
horse flesh could take them. but when
they reached the scene row of lum-
Der piles half block in length was
ablaze.
All hope of saving the remainder OF
the yard lying west of the tracks of
the Rock Island road and extending
about three blocks northeast along
the river bank was gwen up and the
firemen turned their attention to
saving other property.
Caused by Locomotive Spark.
1t is believed that a spark from a
locomotive passing through the yards
was the cause of the fire. The wind
was in the proper direction to carry
it from the tracks to the point where
the blaze broke forth. This was un-
der an overhead tramway not over
100 feet north of the mill, where lum-
Der both green and dry was stored
all about.
The high wind from the southwest
carried the fire away from the mill
and parallel to the railroad tracks,
which cover a strip 80 feet or more
wide and formed an effective barrier
To the progress of the fire to most of
the buildings in the block north of
Fourth avenue and west of Second
street.
Wind Helps Fire Fighters.
The direction of the wind also had
much to do with saving the other mill
property from destruction, as the
firemen had no difficulty in beating
the flames back from this side.
In the first place the firemen found
trouble in getting flow of water
from the hylrants nearest the scene
of the fire, the mud having settled in
the smains and reduced the pressure
Then. while the mill employees took
care of the yards and buildings at
the southwest the firemen turned
their attention to the Office and the
two houses north of it on Second
street belonging to the company and
occupied by tenants.
Close Shave for buildings.
All three of these buildings caught
from the heat transmitted through
the air from the burning lumber and
it looked for a time as though the
block and probably the property east
of Second street would GO.
Heroic efforts on the part of the fire
fighters saved the office building and
the house Immediately north of it.
but the last house. double one. oc-
cupied by the families of Charles
Bradley and Louis y. Il. RietzIer. was
gutted, the heat being so intense that
effective work on the part .of the fire
men was impossible.
Nearly all the personal property of
the occupants was saved by being car
ried out into the street. The houses
occupied by James +. Hodges and Sam
uel Broomhall were afire and the
contents that were not carried ou.
were damaged. Two or three houses
on Third avenue east of Second street
were in danger, but water was kept
ON them till the flames had begun to
subside.
The contents of the barn and the
household effects at the +. c. y.
Denkmann homestead: which is locat-
ed just across Fourth avenue from
the offices, were moved into the
street, but the premises were not
reached by the fire.
Leaps From Pile to Pile.
For the main fire there was nothing
to do and the flames leaped and roar
ed. catching pile after pile till all
within reach had been caught and de-
stroyed. The tract burned over was
less than a block wide at the south
west end and tapered to point a.
the northeast. The heat was so great
as to drive the crowds back to a dis
tance of two blocks and flames leaped
high in the air. Shortly after
o'clock the wind shifted slightly to-
ward the north and the work OF the
tiremen was made much easier.
NEIGHBORING CITIES AID.