Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-10-08
BIG FORT DODGE FIRE
Flames Sunday in Wholesale
District Destroy Quarter
Block of Buildings
TOTAL LOSS OF $4,000
international Harvester company's
Building Was Key to Situation, But
Fire Was Kept Away From Offices,
Store and Repair Rooms-Burned
Buildings Property of One Man.
Special to Times Republican.

Fort Dodge, Oct. s. - One OF the
worst fireE that has occurred in Fort
Dodge in years, started shortly after
noon Sunday, and in u few moments
every indication pointed to the de-
struction OF the greater portion of the
manufacturing and wholesale district.
Fortunately the fire was kept away
from the big buildings. In which are
located the northwest district Offices of
the International Harvester Company,
and the store and repair rooms of the
same company.
The loss of $4,000 is divided as fol-
lows:
John Brady, $4,000; insurance, $500.
Citizens Lumber Company, building,
500; insurance, $500
International Harvester Company,
$4,000; insurance. $4,000.
Il. d. Clasg, $3.50, partly insured.
j. c. Parsons, $1,S00; insurance, $500.
Fitzsimmons, building and stock, $3,-
600: insurance. $500.
The harvester company building was
eAC NY VI liz Slluall0llp dIlQ QllllO IL
was on fire score of times and in a
score Of places, the firemen We're able
to keep it from gaining firm foot
hold. AS 1t was. over q quarter Of a
block of buildings was burned, and
eleven horses and mules belonging to
the Brady-Lathrop transfer company
We're killed.
The cause of the fire or where 1t
started is unknown. MI. Brady states
that he was in the company's big
transfer barns at 10 O'Clock, and at
that time that everything was all right.
He had not gotten more than eight
blocks distant when he heard the
alarm. and on rushing back, discovered
the barns and other buildings all
at1ame.
The fire was discovered by Fred Hell
lings, messenger for the American
Express Company, who had just come
in on his run from Dubuque. While
passing he noticed two buildings fire,
and Immediately turned in the alarm.
Before the fire company arrived, the
big transfer burn and the building in
which was located the Fitzsimmons
Wagon and Machine shops were both
e.
was turned in and all the apparatus
from the Central district was called
out Within ten minutes the fire had
assumed such dangerous proportions
that the general alarm was sounded,
and the apparatus from the sub-sta-
tions in the outskirts of the city and
the west side were brought to aid in
the fight. All the electric power in the
city had to be shut off for all wires
in that district are down. Within TWEEN
ty minutes dozen lines Of hose were
playing on the surrounding buildings,
no attempt being made to save the
buildings already burning. Two horses
from the transfer barns were taken
out, but nine of the company's largest
and most valuable draft animals were
burned, while two mt IS were killed.
The heat was so intense that no trace
of the animals other than the bones is
left.
All the transfer wagons were de-
stroyed, as was also the machinery in
the wagon shops. The proprietor of
the wagon shop announced soon after
the fire that he had within month
put in some very valuable machinery
and that his loss would be very heavy,
but most would be covered by tnsur-
ance.
The big auxiliary building of the
harvester company was also destroy
ed. In this building was stored over
$4,000 worth Of binding Irvine, and sew
eral thousand dollars worth Of machin-
cry.
The big brick structure In which was
located the harvester company offices
and stock rooms, was in very great
danger. All the company books were
moved and 1t was thought that nothing