Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1905-02-11
! BUILDINGS ARE RUINED
Three Brick Structures Are Com
pIeteIy Destroyed and Three Others
Are Damaged-Fire Started in Fur
mace at 2:45 o'ciock-Restaurant
Burns at Abba.

Oskaloosa, Feb. 10. -(SpeciaD-
With the thermometer below zero and
heavy wind blowing smoke ed icy
water into their faces, the members OF
the Oskaloosa fire department and a
number of volunteer fire fighters
worked like slaves against fire
which at one time this morning threat
ened to destroy half the city, but was
brought under control after six hours
hard fighting and the loss of property
valued at $15O,O0O. The insurance is
nearly equal to the. loss.
The blaze started from the furnace
in the basement of the two story brick
building on West High avenue, occu-
pied by Fitch Bro-, with a wholesale
and retail harness and saddlery store.
This structure was located across the
alley and in the rear of the big dry
goods store of Baldauf & Rosenblat
Co. The flames when discovered at
2:45 o'clock this morning, had gained
such headway that it was impossible
to save the Fitch building or any of
the contents. The Baldauf building
and stock was damaged though not
seriously and largely by smoke and
water.
Big Furniture Stores Burns,
West ofs the Fitch building stood a
double front. two story brick building
occupied by the Stull & McGregor Co.
with a big stock of furniture, carpets,
queensware and hardware This build
ing and the valuable stock were COM
pletely destroyed by the flames and
the fire still baffied the sturdy firemen.
Other cities including Ottumwa, were
asked for aid but before engines
could be loaded the flames were under
control and the Oskaloosa department
fought out the battle during the morn
ing. The two story brick building
next adjoining the Stull & McGregor
1 building on the west was the last struc-
\ ture to fall victim to the fire. 1t was
occupied on the first floor by Charles
Beatle with a pool hall and the sec
ond floor was used as a dwelling This
building with most of the contents was
a total loss.
Saloon Bar to Flames.
The fire stopped at saloon Just
west of the pool room and the fire de-
partment announced that it had con-
troll of the flames at about 8 o'clock
this morning Next west of the saloon
on the first corner west Of the city
square stands the Office of the Oska-
loosa Traction & Light Co., which was
not damaged. A rumor was sent out
during the early morning that the
power house of the company was on
fire but this was al error.
Other Buildings Damaged.
The loss fro mall causes, fire, smoke
and water amounts to about $150,000.
In addition to the Baldauf & Rosen-
blat company's loss to their store 10.
Gated at the corner of Market and
High streets, the northwest corner of
the square, the store and dry goods
stock of Prefer & Belmont adjoining
the Baldauf store on the south was
also damaged and the Oskaloosa Saw.
ings bank building. next on the south
also sustained slight damage.
Abba Restaurant Burns,
Abba. Feb. 10. - (Special) - Abba
added another fire to her already lone
list at $50 o'clock this morning when
the restaurant owned by Samuel Will.
e5lliams and located near the Monroe
hotel was burned. Mr.. Williams took
cinder from the stove in the restau
rant and it is supposed he loosened
the pipe from the flue at the same
time. When he discovered the flames
they had gained considerable headway
and although the fire department re
sponded quickly to the alarm the en-
tire restaurant stock is a total loss
The building was only partially dam
aged and it's insurance will cover all
the loss. The stock was also par
TALLY insured
PLEADS TO BE CONVICTED