Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-05-14
A DISASTROUS FIRE.
A Sunday Morning Blaze Destroys
the Miller, Martin and Thomas
Buildings.

ringing of the fire bell gave warning
that a fire was in progress, and to the
clamor of the bell soon was added the
shrieks Of teh fire whistle. Fire had
been discovered in the Martin building
occupied by the McGinness butcher
shop, and before the prompt response
of the Fire Department had gained such
headway that it was evident that this
building and the two adjacent ones
were doomed aud that it would require
the hardest kind of work to save other
buildings in that proximity. A hard
wind blowing in gusts and the tin roofs
of the buildings added to the difficulty
of subduing the flames.
The fire originated either in the back
room of the butcher shop or in some of
the rooms over the shop which were
occupied by Albert Gravos' help and
boarders, some of whom were the ones
who discovered the fire and gave the
alarm, after escaping from the building
in various stages of dress and undress,
most of them securing but small part
of their clothing, and Mrs. Foster was
carried down stairs almost overcome
by smoke and clothed only in her night
gown. Mr.. and Mrs Will Glass reside
over their retaurant, and when aroused
by the ringing of their door bell the
smoke was so dense that they were
driven back from two doors leading
from their restaurant, and finally gain
ed escape by the front stairway. Will
took time only to draw on his trousers,
which he later supplemented with coat,
vest and hat which he had fortunately
left downstairs, but Mrs. Glass escap-
ed in her night robe only, which, with
a jacket found downstairs, is all the
clothing she saved.
The Fire Department is to be COM
mended for their good work in the face
of difficulty. But two streams of water
could be directed on the blaze, and the
rear stream was compelled to do all the
work of subduing the fire in the rear of
three buildings and that this was ac-
complished is proof of well directed
work on the part of the firemen. Ad-
ded to this difficulty, at critical time
it was necessary to shut off the water
while nozzle was fitted to lead of
hose to replace one blown off the hose
by the force of water, and the tin
roofs prevented any attempt to fight
the fire from position on the roofs OF
the adjacent buildings.
The three buildings are badly wrecked
and the Martin building is a total loss,
only the front and side walls being left
standing. The upper story of the
Thomas building is gutted and the rear
of the Miller building is badly burned.
The lower stories of the Miller and
Thomas buildings were untouched by
fire but are badly damaged by water.
All three buildings have been condemn
ed by the City authorities after a care
full examination, and the walls will be
ordered torn down forthwith. While
the owners of the buildings have made
no plans for rebuilding, there is nc
doubt that new and better buildings
will be Immediately erected, as there
are no vacant buildings for the occupancy
of those who have been burned out.
All the buildings and stocks were par
TALLY insured. Fred Martin carried
$4,000 on his building. The Thomas
building was insured for $500 in tht
State Insurance Co., of Des Moines
Mrs. Miller's building was insured il
ths State, of Keokuk, $4,000. R. McGin
ness carried $500 on stock in the Con
tury of Des Moines and 5000 on fix
lures in the Continental. w. A. Glas
carried $500 in the Des Moines Insur
ance Co., on stock, fixtures and house
hold goods. $500 of this was on hi
household goods, and while the fire di
not enter his main living rooms the hea
was so intense that everything in thes
rooms was ruined.
Epps & Kelley are undecided as