Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-01-26
A DISASTROUS FIRE
PLUMBING ESTABLISHMENT OF
M. A. THOMPSON & CO., is
Quilted BY FLAMES.
Loss is Estimated at $4,000 - Fire.
men Work Valiantly and Prevent
Spread of Flames to Adjoining
neutrality-suspicious. Breaks Glass.
From Mondays DAILY.


Fire which broke out in the plumb
ing establishment of M. A. Thompson
& Co. this morning about 80 o'clock
completely Quilted that place and the
rooming house conducted by Mrs. j.
w. Carpenter on the second floor. But
for the herculean efforts of the fire
men the entire block including the
building on Second and Court streets
would have gone, as there are but a
few feet between the rear of the Court
street structures and the Thompson
place. The building is owned by AL
len Johnston. The following table
gives the estimated loss to building
and contents and the Insurance.:
M. A. Thompson & Co., loss on
STOCK ................... .S5,OOO
insurance 5,oUo
Allen Johnston, loss on build
ing ........t.. ............... z'ooo
Fully covered by insurance.
Mrs. j. w. Carpenter. loss on
furniture and clothing ........ 500
Insurance ouV
Fire Burned Many Hours.
When the firemen responded to the
alarm about 1880 o'clock smoke was
seen issuing from the cellar and from
the roof Of the burning building. Two
streams were at once turned on, one
from the hydrant at the corner of
Court and Second streets, and the 9th
er from Washington and Second
streets. The firemen worked tireless-
ly throughout the night and although
the fire was under control in a few
hours it was not completely ex-
tinguished until about 8 o'clock this
morning.
Explosion Of Gasoline.
The explosion of a large can of gas
oline in the cellar sent sheets of flame
in all directions and the shock broke
several windows in the neighborhood.
Fortunately no one was injured, how
ever. Quantities of waste and oakum
in the cellar also assisted in the spread
of the fire.
The South Side department readily
| answered the call and brought hose
and chemical engine to assist in the
| work of fighting the fire. The chem
| ical engine was found to be useless as
the cold drive across the river had
frozen the contents of the tanks.
| Spread of Fire Prevented.
Another line of hose was thrown on
the fire and strong efforts were made
| to prevent it's spread to the adjoining
buildings. A court less than ten feet
separated the block of brick buildings
on Court street from the fire and il
was thought that 1t would be impossi
BILE to conf1ne the fire within the lin
it's of the Johnston building. There
were fears also that the fire would ex
tend to the adjoining buildings on eth
er side. This was prevented, however
| by the persistent efforts of the fire
sisted.
Department Deserves Credit.
The members of the fire department
has been roundly praised for their sue
cessful efforts in subduing the flames
and preventing their spread The
night was bitterly cold and the mer
worked for nearly seven hours witt
their clothes frozen stiff where thu
water had dripped on them Severa
OF the firemen have frozen fingers ant
toes today as result of their expo
sure. Hot coffee was thoughtfully pro
vided for the firemen by the proprie
tors of the Cottage hotel, an act 0
kindness that was greatly appreciated
Another Fire.
While the M A. Thompson & &C
fire was being fought, an alarm wa
turned in from the residence of DR.. E
D. LaForce, 334 North Market street
One of the wagons responded, but tn
fire proved to be small bundle Q
rags smoldering in one of the lowe
rooms. 1t was extinguished with littl
difficulty.