The Iola register., 1902-02-14
Started in BedelFs Store and
Consumed Double Two
Story Building
INSURANCE NEARLY COVERED
Buildings and Stocks Heavily Insured
Stevenson Loses S1,500-Chas.
Rarick Loses Home.

Bros dry-goods store at 1l:30 Sun
day night and promptly turned in al
alarm. The nature of the quick fire
and the fact that two hydrants were
frozen up permitted the flames to gair
a start and before the fire was out 800
900 worth of property had gone up in
smoke.
Everything points to the fire having
started from an over-heated stove in
the Grand Leader. The stove was in
the middle of the room, toward the
rear and the flames easily and quickly
spread to the counters and soon gain
ed a powerful headway. The fire de-
partment had but half block to run
and quickly connected line of hose
with the hydrant at Evans Bros. cor
ner, within fifty feet of the burning
building. After all was ready it was
discovered that the hydrant was frozen
up Then another line was quickly
laid from the hydrant at the court
house correr and in due time it was
discovered to be frozen. So it was
twenty minutes or more after the de-
partment arrived before a drop of
water was available This was Sc
cured by connecting with theI hydrant
on Coutant's corner block west.
But the fire had not been DELAYED
1t had spread throughout the long
building and burst in fierce rage from
the front, licking eagerly at the upper
floors. Expecting to fight inside, the
fire boys had attached the new spray
ing nozzle, and it proved:unft forlthe
long-distance work at hand. The
scattering stream seemed but to add to
the flames. The extra hose was gather
ed up and connected at Broadway, on
South street, and another line of water
played on the rear of the building.
This, with the old nozzle. did most
effective work and was all that pre-
vented the flames from quickly en-
bracing Ramsay's store. The roof did
catch repeatedly, but the boys prompt
ly put out the fire.
From the Bedell store to w. B.
Reeds barber shop only a wooden
partition interviewed and the flames
burst through an along the length of
the building and the barber shop3was
soon afire on both floors. The front
o. Ramsay's store and the front of
Evans Bros repeatedly caught but
the flames were checked by the streams
of water. The double building finally
collapsed and the streams were played
on the smouldering ruins until no
danger longer existed At several
places along the roof the Evans build
ing caught fire aud II. Z. Evans
scampered about the roof beating out
the flames. An hour after the fire was
thought to be out flames burst forth
in the roof and the fire boys left their
dinner at the Our Way restaurant to
fight the fire over. BY ascending to
the roof they followed the fire where
it had crawled clear across the roof
along the rafters and put it out.
For half an hour it seemed that the
entire block was certain to go, and
people began moving out goods, but
the fire walls held firm. One tier of
brick on the Ramsay store fell. This
building is owned by DR.. w. S. Hend-
ricks and it had narrow escape. The
Evans building is protected by an
eighteen inch stone wall and the wall
stopped the fire. OF course there was
criticism of the fire department. 1t
was blamed for freezing up the hyd-
rants and because the spray nozzle did
not Immediately put out one of the
fiercest fires that lola has had for
years. But the boys in truth worked
nobly and saved the block. Under all
the handicaps which impeded them
their work is to be praised.
The losses are hard to ascertain with
certainty. The damage to Evans
Bros building will necessitate new
roof and perhaps considerable repairs
of the wall. Water flooded the cellar
and ran down in the store, damaging
the goods somewhat, while smoke
added to the injury, DR.. Chastain,
Justice Hough, |. II. Kasebeer and DR..
Waugh had Offices up stairs. Their
losses are triAing, being chiefly caused
by smoke, and little water
Evans carried more than enough in
surance to cover the loss of 81, 200
stock and the unestimated damage to
the building. Their insurance was
scattered as follows $1,000 on stock
in the Queen; 81 900 on stock in the
National; So, 900 on building in Hart
ford and London, Liverpool and
Globe; 81 900 on building in Pennsyl-
vania.
Bedell Brothers lost everything ex-
80, .bo ,,ooons Ia tbair oofa Tbay