Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-04
DISASTROUS
FIRE RACES
SALE AND FEED BARNS GOOD
FUEL FOR THE
FLAMES
BURNS EIGHT HORSES

otdFtS III Oa9Sett Barn on oeConu
Street-BeIleved to Have Been
| Caused BY an Electric Wire-Dis
I covered in Rafters.
From Tuesdays Daily
The second disastrous fire Of the
year in the city of Ottumwa, occurred
last evening, when the sales barns of
F. w. Darner and l.. r. Fleener we're
destroyed and the barn of E. Daggett
& Sons was badly damaged by a
blaze which broke out about 9:45
o'clock in the block to the south of
Second street between Marion and
I Washington streets. Other buildings
owned by Mr.. Darner were destroyed
and property was damaged as given in
the list of losses printed below. The
fire originated in the horse barn de-
partment of the Daggett structure,
caused as far as can be ascertained by
an electric WIRE The total damage
caused by the confagration will
amount to about 100000 and is at least
partly covered by insurance.
So similar to the previous markedly
disastrous fire, that of the Scase
building on East Main street, is this
occurrence that one can not forbear
mentioning it. Both fires were
discovered but a few minutes before 10
o'clock, and both had gained great
Roadway when the department arrived
upon the scene Both burned with an
almost supernatural fury, and both
| of% 10
| fight that reflected high credit upon the
regular and volunteer firemen of this
city.
Last nights fire was discovered by
F. Thompson, night foreman in the Dag
gett barn, at a point in the horse sta
BILE about two-thirds of the length of
the building west from Washington
street.
Blaze Was Then Small.
At this time there was but small
blaze in sight. but the smoke was very
noticeable The flame was along a
joist on the bottom of the floor Of the
hay loft and quickly spread from the
floor to the hay that was piled in the
loft. From the position of the blaze
when first discovered it is thought that
the fire was caused by live wire, as
the flames were blazing near the point
of the joist to which wires are attach
ed.
There was but little hay in the loft
of the Daggett barn and while this
made less food for the flames, it allow
ed them to spread more rapidly. AL
most Immediately, it seemed, the fire
had reached the corner of the building,
at the alley and Washington street,
and the whole structure was threaten.
ed. Men. and boys worked like fiends
getting horses, buggies and harness
from the apparently doomed structure.
The horses kicked and wheeled and OBJ
J stinately refused to leave the burning
building, but at last all of them were
out but one. This horse was practical
ly given up, when one man, at the emf
nent peril of his life, rescued it from a
horrible death.
Attacks Darner Barn.
i Meanwhile, the fire urged on by the
wind, attacked the massive sales barn
of F. w. Darner. This large building
open entirely in the center, furnished
a perfect furnace for the tanning OF
the flames, and with a speed probably
never before equalled in any Ottumwa
fire, this new structure went to ruins
Many horses belonging to farmers and
out-of-town visitors attending the chau
tauqua were in the barn, and while
some of these were rescued, the rapid
progress of the fire limited the time OF
relief work, and eight Of these ami
mails persisted in the flames. Thei1
shrieks of pain and agony, as the bills
tering flames closed around them, ad
ded materially to the horror of the
night.
All of this time the firemen, both
regular and volunteer, were working
with heart-breaking determination tt
hold the blaze within the confines Of
the half block, bounded by Washington
Marion and West Second streets. ant
the alley between West Second anG
Main streets. Time and again the fire
would start in the sheds that lined the
other side of the alley and then some
devoted band would rush forward be
tween the flames and there in VERT
able hell work until this source Of dan
ger was eliminated.
5 The fire was, in less time than i
takes to read thus far, approaching
the sale barn of l.. W. Fleener. Hav
ing had more of a warning than in thu
Larner building. all the horses, We
, hicles and harness was taken out be
: fore the flames became too close to al
5 low the rescue work to continue.
Entire Alley Ablaze.
The flames now covered the entir,
! line of the alley from Washington t.
Marion streets, and extended to Sec
ond street. where the barn known a
the Jim Peck place, and the office o
!. Mr. Darner had been. At Marion
/ street the crowd gathered and Their,
with sinking hearts watched the grea
5 masses of black smoke and biting
: flames leap into the air. 1t was won
derful and horrible eight. Fire, tina
implacable foe of man, was loose in al
its majesty and power and for a me
, ment it seemed as though surely tn
flames must spread to the block be
e yond. Distracted people began remov
ing their household furniture from tn
:. ,~1-