Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-04-05
TWO KILLED IN 100000
FIRE AT ALBA SUNDAY.
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dist church and parsonage directly
south of the stricken area.
The Fatal Explosion.
1t was while striving to save the
church and parsonage from destruction
that Richard Ingham the aged sexton,
and his friend, Edward Dougherty, lost
their lives. They were carrying a lad
der through the alley just east of the
bank, going toward the church yard,
when without a moments warning the
bank building was almost wrecked by
an explosion of the overheated air in
the attic between the roof and the
ceiling of the second story. More than
twenty courses of brick at the top of
the wall fell out into the alley with
an awful crash and the Mortified specta-
tors saw the two old men with the
ladder and three others fall beneath
the mass of debris.
Scores of people rushed to the rescue
and within few minutes after the ex-
plosion the bodies of the dead and in
jured has been taken out. All were
taken to the Office of Dr. H. C. Esch-
bach but within few minutes both
lngham and Dougherty were dead. Ed
/, Ramsey, an aged real estate agent,
was caught in the alley by the explo-
sion while he was carrying his books
from his Office behind the bank. When
taken from under the pile of bricks
ne was thought to be dead but later he
rallied and now fingers between life
and death He sustained two broken
ribs and numerous bruises and it is
feared that he is suffering from intern
al injuries. The other two men, Rig
don and Jones, were not seriously in
jured and they will be able to resume
work within few weeks at most.
Bodys Badly Mangled.
The bodies of Mr.. Ingham and Mr..
Dougherty We're badly mangled. The
old sexton was unacceptable when he
was picked up in the alley. His face
and head were mashed fiat by the aw-
full weight of the bricks and his body
was identified only by the finding of
q bunch of keys in his pocket among
which were the keys to the church of
which he was sexton.
Charlton Company Aids.
: Word had been sent to the Charlton
fire department asking for aid and the
men from the neighboring city re-
sponded readily. Delays on account
of bad track. however, held them 80
tbs fat'ss.ss7i& not arrive in Abba until
Ek. Their efforts, howey-
er, saved the bank building from de-
struction and doubtless kept the fire
within the half block where it start
ed. The Methodist church and parson-
age were not damaged by fire, thanks
to the tireless work of the volunteers.
The Losses.
Very little was saved from the fires
fury. A. E. Childs was successful in
taking about half of his stock of shoes
from the store but all the other stores
and stocks were consumed. S. S. Smith
formerly proprietor Of the Childs
store had an office just above that es-
Establishment. Here he had his books
and accounts, in addition to several
sewing machines he handled as agent
All these were destroyed including
about $4,000 worth of accounts. Hon.
n. B. Perry lost a number of
very valuable documents which
were in his office; He was compiling
history of Monroe county and the
loss of these papers will stop his work
and bring damage that cannot be es-
timated in dollars and cents The prop
erty of the hank was practically all
that was saved from the flames with
the execution of the shoes from the
Childs' store.
Worse Than Former Fire.
The fire of Sunday is by far the
worst that has ever visited Abba be-
cause of the deaths that resulted. The
monetary loss, 100000, is probably
$4,000 less than that resulting from
the fire of November IL when half of
the west side of the square went up
IL flames, but the loss of two noble
men and the serious injury of the ven
cradle Mr. Ramsay marks the fire of
Easter day as by far the most de-
structive ever known in the history Of
Abba.
Sketch of Richard Ingham.
Richard Ingham, who was killed al
most instantly yesterday, was IS years
of age last month He was born in
Kentucky and was the son of Roland
and Winifred Ingham. When he was
5 years of age the family removed to
Iowa and since that time Mr. Ingham
has made his home the majority of
the time in Monroe county. He was
sexton of the Methodist church for
many years and was a conscientious
member of that denomination He
leaves to mourn his death his wife
Mrs. Emaline (Miller) Ingham, two
sons, Rev Latham Ingham of Keokuk,
and Rev. Hardy A. Ingham of Keosau-
qua, and one daughter, Mrs. Mary Rob-
inson, Of Abba. Rev. Hardy A. Ing
ham is on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem,
having started several weeks ago and
it will be impossible for some time to
notify him of his fathers sad death.