Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-15
FIRE IN BUSINESS
BLOCK CAUSES LOSS
John B. Simmons Stock Of Books
and Stationery Badly Dam
aged by Smoke and Water
DEPARTMENTS GOOD WORK
Fire Discovered at 4:45 Results in
Small Damage to Building and Es-
timated Loss Of $4,000 to Stock
Damage is Almost Wholly by Smoke
and Water Another Fire.

| and Water Another Fire.
Fire. discovered in the store Of John
B. Simmons, is West Main street, by
Merchant Police McCluer, at 4:45 this
morning, resulted in loss in stock es-
timated by Mr.. Simmons at $4,000, and
damage to the building at a few hun
| dred dollars. The origin of the fire is
not yet known by Mr. Simmons, but in
the mind of Chief Kirby, of the fire
department, was in some manner
due to an overheated furnace. The
| fire department did good work in
exttnguishing the blaze, which was
kept in the one building, and then
without damaging the structure to any
great extent. DR.. B. u. Shirk is the
owner of the building.
Mr.Simmons believes that the fire was
smouldering all night. and had burned
slowly until a sufficient blaze as to be
noticeable resulted. Where the flames
ate thru the floor, at point near the
register, a hole about eight by twelve
feet was burned. Mr., Simmons desk
was Immediately over where the
flames shot thru the floor and with all
its contents was destroyed. In the
desk were some valuable papers that
had not been placed In the safe at the
close Of the days business.
At $3.50 Wednesday night, shortly be-
fore closing up time, Mr.. Simmons
thought he smelled smoke, and sent a
couple of his clerks to the basement to
investigate. After careful inspection
Of the furnace and basement nothing
was found that would indicate fire,
and the matter was dismissed, Mr..
Simmons concluding that the odor had
come from the cigar of a customer who
had left the store shortly before. The
incident would not have been recalled
had it not been for the succeeding de-
velopments.
Mr.. Simmons himself has not the
slightest idea as to the origin of the
fire. He thinks the furnace might be
possibility, and also thinks defective
wiring in the floor may have been re-
sponsible. Chief Kirby, however, be-
lieves that in some way the fire
must have caught from the furnace.
The chief says that after a careful in
spection Of premises he considers that
it would have been an tmpossibility for
the wires to have set fire to the floor,
as they We're too far away from the
floor, and were not crossed by any
other wires. He also thinks that had
the wires been responsible the en-
ployes who visited the basement
Wednesday night could have seen the
blaze at that time, for the chief is GER
tain that when the smoke was smelled
Wednesday night, the fire was smould-
ering between the floor and the joists
where he is certain the fire caught.
The joists near the furnace register
are all burned away.
Contents Of the Store.
The character of the stock carried by
Mr.. Simmons makes his loss more than
it would have otherwise been with the
same amount of fire and water. No
goods are burned, but the books and sta
tionery show damage by the smoke and
water. Pictures also show the damage
by the smoke, and the frames of pic
lures are OF course blistered to some
extent from the heat. Fancy china
and some fine metal goods on the first
floor also show serious damage.
In the basement the damage is
largely by water. In this part Of the
building were stored paints and oils,
varnishes, ETC., and extra stock that Is
kept. The second floor damage will
not be so heavy, as the smoke did not
reach that floor to SO great an ex-
tent. On the second floor was kept the
stock of toys, large stock of wall
paper, window shades and extra stock
Of a miscellaneous nature.
Mr.. Simmons says that at this seas
On of the year his stock will aggregate
4 value at from $4,000 to $4,000. He
places his actual damage at $4,000, with
IN insurance on the entire stock of So
700. Mr.. Simmons thinks the damage
o the building will be anywhere from
400 to $500. Chief Kirby, who exam
ned the building, thinks the damage
will not exceed 5000.
Mr.. Simmons, who, during the alb
,ence Of his wife i'll Europe, has been
occupying sleeping quarters on the
bird floor of his store building, was
awakened after the fire department |
Lrriyed, He dressed and attempted to
each the second floor by means of
rap door, but was stified by the smoke
nd compelled to leave the building by |
he fire escape.
Another Fire.
The department was again called
his morning, the second time at 1880.
Me second fire was at the home OF
Ir. and Mrs. Dell McCord, 704 North
'ourth street. A defective fiue. had
esulted in small blaze in the floor
f the second story. Neighbors had
sed water to good effect before the
apartment arrived, and all that was
equired was the use of the chemical
pparatus. The contents of the room
'ere badly smoked, and the carpet de-
troyed. Water from the floor above
lso did damage to the floor below.
FRS. McCord estimates the damage to
he house and contents at 5000. The
,ss is amply covered by insurance.
The Political Equality Club.
The Political Equality Club was /,