The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1903-02-26
TWO STUBBORN FIRES
Fire Department Has Hard Work to
Handle Flames.

In as many hours. Inc nrSt alarm
was sent in for the Iowa Central
round house about $3.50 o'clock p. m.
An exploding torch hadscattered oilall
over the engine room that stands on
the south side of the house. The
flames were communicated to the
wood work of the engine room and the
machine shop and there was chance
for considerable damage to machines
and equipment. Fortunately for the
railway company there was quite a
good sized service hose in the round
house and stream of water was i'm
mediately turned on the flames from
this. The alarm was turned in because
it did not seem possible that the men
at the house could handle the fire. The
fire company had long run of almost
a mile but they were promptly on the
ground. No water was thrown by the
company, however. The chemical APP
paratus was used effectively and to-
gether with the water thrown by the
house men the flames were soon
quenched.
No one was near the torch when it
exploded. The story that one of the
helpers had been badly cut by a piece
of flying metal and severely burned by
the flaming oil was without foundation.
No one was hurt in any way or burn
ed. One hundred and fifty dollars
worth of repairs will cover the loss by
fire. The Second Alarm.
The second alarm came in about
500 p. m. 1t was for the supply store
of B. Wesman on North G street and
was one of the most stubborn blazes
that the company has had to fight in
years. The damage will amount to
Eseveral thousand dollars.
The origin of the fire is not known.
The store building where the flames
originated had been closed up for
some little time and there had been
no one in the building for over hair
an hour. Mr.. Wesman was the last to
leave the room and he asserts that
everything was all right at that time.
He went to the Iowa Central train and
while there the fire was discovered
and the alarm sent in. The fire COM
pany made quick response and got to
the location of the fire in short order.
The interior Of the store room was
like furnace by this time and the
flames were pouring from the front
with the indication that the fire was
about to get beyond control.
A stream was Immediately turned
on the front and the flames were driY-
en- back into the budding but it was
very evident that one stream of water
was not sufficient to cope with the fire
for the interior of the store room was
a seething furnace. A second stream
of water was turned into the place and
it was with the greatest difficulty that
the fire was then controlled. The
boys fought flames for fully three
hours before all the fire was out. The
fire was in the great piles OF cotton
and wooden goods with which the
store was packed and 1t was almost
impossible to get it out. Water would
be thrown on one place until it SEEM
ed that the fire was out. Attention
would be given to another pile and the
flames would break out in the first
| pile stronger than ever. The firemen
had to go into the room and tear the
goods down and all apart before the
fire was effectively reached. 1t was
one of the worst fires that the boys
have had to fight in years. 1t is great
ly to the credit of the department that
the flames did not get beyond their
control and clean out all of the build
ings in the neighborhood.
A Big Loss.
The building is used as a store and
supply house by B. Wetsman. He
conducted a supply business for jew
ish peddlers and has quite a large
number of men out over the county
selling staple goods. He purchases
goods in considerable quantities and
stores them in this place. The room
and the building was literally jammed
full of cotton and wooden goods and
garments such as are purchased by the
farmers and it was in this sort of stuff
that the fire got footing.
The value of the goods piled in the
place was between ten and twelve
thousand dollars and the loss will be
complete. The salvage will hardly be
fit for rags. The insurance carried
amounts to something like eight thous
and dollars.
The building was two-story frame
affair about twenty by forty feet with
an L on the north. The second story
contained the clothing and it was
filled almost to overlooking. The
overalls and blouses and clothes were
piled close on the first floor, The fire
Quilted the building and managed to
get through the roof several times.
THE building is practically a wreck
and can hardly be used again.
Mr.. wetsman states that his insur'
ance is with the ]. G. Saylor, Ralph
OHara and Chas. Brown agencies,
He can save nothing from the stock
and says that the loss is complete.
The building was owned by Mr.
wetsman and he win rebuild it imme
diately and continue the business in
the same location. He has just re
turned from Chicago where he has