Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-03-03

WE'LL 1lS MORNING SIGNED "A n
TRAoRDiNARY SESSION OF THE
CONGRESS TO CONVENE ON MAR,
delphia and $1,S0O in the Capital of
Des Moines.
Chris Ruud, who conducts a bakery
in the one story building just north of
the burned structures, lived with his
family in the rooms over the grocery
store. Although a few household
goods belonging to Mr.. Ruud were
saved, his loss is about $1,000. He
carried no insurance.
Hotel Monroe Threatened.
and little to the north of the fire.
was threatened for awhile by the
blaze, which, aided by the wind,
crossed the street and burned an avn
ing in front of the hotel. However,
the work of the volunteer fire depart
ment saved the hotel from destruc
tion and probably saved the lives of
several guests.
The one-story structure north of the
grocery store, owned by William Lew
is, a brother of T. ]. Lewis and an
uncle of William Lewis of the gro
cery firm, was damaged slightly by
smoke and water. The bakery stock
in this room, owned by Chris Ruud,
also suffered slight damage Both
buildings and stock are fully insured
and the loss will not exceed 5000 on
both
Just south of the restaurant is a
three story brick building owned by
Mr.. .Hartsuck. The north room is oc--
cupied by G. w. Monroe, a butcher
This building was damaged to the ex-
tent of about $780, the loss being fully
covered by insurance.
A Hard Fight.
The firemen nfoughtlong and we'll with
the flames but the latter, aided by the
wind and several accidents, were final
| ly victorious and the best that the
volunteers could do was to confine the
fire to the Hartsuck and Lewis build
| ings. For a time it was hoped that
the drug and grocery stores would
| be saved, but about O'Clock, an hour
after the fire was discovered one of
| the two engines used by the firemen
| blew fiue and before the necessary
repairs could be made the two re-
naming stores had passed beyond the
control of the department.
| Even then the fight was not given
up, however, but at $3.50 when the wall
between the two buildings fell and an
explosion of the hot air blew the en-
| tire roof off the north room, it was
seen that nothing more could be done,
and the two buildings were doomed.
About this time the second engine fail
ed and this circumstance added to the
troubles.
The Explosion.
The explosion is something that can
hardly be accounted for Arthur Nc
/ Vey, formerly resident of South OF.
tumwa, but now employed as baker
1 by Chris Ruud and George Hartzer OF
/ Abba, We're in the Ruud apartments
when it occurred and they narrowly
| escaped death as result of it.
A Narrow Escape.
Mr.. McVey, who was in the greatest
danger, was seen by the representa-
tive of the Courier this morning and
told of his experience. He said: 81
was in one of the rooms occupied by
! the Ruud family, having gone uL
4 there at the request of Miss Ruud
who wanted bureau drawer and its
contents brought out of the fire.
was on my knees on the floor tuggins
at the drawer, when the explosion oc
Cured. 1t lifted up the entire ROOT
from over my head and carried it into
the fire to the south. Bricks and deb
ris fell all around me and the smoke
became SO thick | was afraid to move
lest fell into the flames. could see
nothing and had almost given up
when Ed Delaney, the night watch
man, rushed up stairs and showed me
4 the way out | thought that the stairs
had been blown away by the force Of
the explosion, but learned that in this
4 was mistaken. George Hartzer
who was in the room with me, was
nearer the door and escaped down the
stairs"
Just what caused the explosion is
not known. There were no explosives
of any kind in the Ruud apartments
and it is the accepted theory that the
air, confined within the walls, expand
ing by reason of the heat, sought es
cape in so forcible manner that i
lifted the entire roof away to free it
self.
A FusiIIade.
The news of the fire spread all ovel
Abba in spite of the fact that it was
dark and the children We're asleel
when it started. A big crowd gather
ed around the confiagration, and eff
forts were made to save some of the
movable property from the buildings
but the flames had gained such head
way before their discovery that this
, was practically impossible. A circum
stance that caused no little worry ant
excitement was the explosion at fire
!, quent intervals of the cartridges in tn,
armory, the property of the militia com
pany. The watchers were cautious