The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1906-06-22
TWO BUILDINGS WERE BURNED
PLACE ON MAIN STREET.
Structure Fitted Up for Restaurant,
and Also Meat Market Build
ing Burned Down

Fire started at about 1 O'Clock
Monday NOR f-ng in the vacant Lem
mer restaurant building, located near
the corner OF Thirteenth and Main
streets. and destroyed the building
proper. excepting a small addition
The building the next door south, also
owned BY Lemmer but occupied by
the Carton meat market, caught IRE
and was burned down with all the
contents OF the meat shop save the
addition in the rear Lemmer, who
had no insurance, figures his loss at
about $500 Carton carried $3.50 in
surance upon his meat market equip
ment and stock
GoOdland has no organized fire de-
paTtment but has plenty OF big hose
and a liberal supply Of water in the
standpipe, and the fire was fought by
volunteers with quite a little success,
cOnsid ering the start the fire had
Tom McCants, one OF the first men to
hear the alarm at the city water
works, ran to the waterwOrks plant
and pulled out the hose cart He
started for the fire with the cart and
was soon Joined by others. The hose
was attached to a IRE plug and a
solid stream OF water turned on the
blaze. Several men climbed to the
top Of the burning building and han
died the hose from there and kept the
fire from destroying the additions,
which a time or two were on fire and
as often saved from the flames. Ernest
MOffat stayed with the hose handling
gang from start to finish. and Gene
ROLAND, StOrekeepr at the railroad,
deserves a good deal Of credit for
facing the blistering heat in steering
Where the crop has been we'll put in,
where it would be most effective.
Phil Woke, an employee OF the Gull
Inns billiard hall, was first to notice
the blaze in the north building. He
cried fire" and tried to awaken the
people by firing of pistol shots The
works, and a little. later the whistles
Of locomotives at the railroad yards
sounded an exciting chorus.
The street in front Of the Lemmer
buildings was filled with spectators.
The wind was blowing from the
northwest and the fire was rapidly
forced into the meat market An at
tempt was made to carry out some
stuff from the meat market, but the
heat was too severe. The ice box
was practically destroyed by the fire,
but enough water was thrown upon
il to stop the flames before they con-
sumed everything In one cOmpart-
ment OF the box three qua ters of
beef and two halves Of a hog, a large
can of lard, and other stuff were not
burned, although the meat was well
roasted
The north Lemmer building was
being fitted up for a restaurant, and
the front was provided with fine plate
glass windows The carpenters were
getting the improvement well along
when the building was burned down.
They were last at the building at Z
O'Clock Saturday evening; shut up the
doors and left the place without fire
in the stove or anything that was
easily fnfiamable, as all shavings and
the like had been swept up and taken
outside.
Mr.. Lemmer, in speaking Of the
affair, thinks the fire was Of incendi-
airy origin He bases his suspicion
upon the fact that the south door in
the frame Of double doors in the rear
Of the building shows that il was
forced open on the hinge side, as
the center was bTaced from within by
a twO-by-siX timber He also argues
that the mOmentary filling Of the
room with flame from a mere point
OF light when first discovered ~indi-
Gates that either coal oil or gasoline
was used to boost the criminal en-
terprise. Since no investigation has
been made, and all parties are await
ing the arrival Of the insurance ad-
juster Of the meat market risk there
is nothing 70 announce save that the
buildings were destroyed and the ORR
gin Of the fire is unknown