Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-11-12
PERISHED IN FLAMES.
Fire in Schofeld Village Causes Death
and Destruction.

and Destruction.
A fire which broke out in the village
OF Schofield, Friday evening, threatened
the destruction of the village and caused
the death of one person, t. Lemma
who was cremated in the flames. The
ire originated in the rear of what is
known as the Bentley residence
which was one of the Oldest buildings
In the village. The main part of this
building was occupied by John Emo and
family. The rear portion was leased to
Mr.. Lemma, who had been Occupying
it since becoming mail carrier for the
village.
On the evening of the fire, Mr..
Lemma started for home at about nine
O'Clock, intending to retire for the night.
P. j. Sull, a former resident of this city,
walked as far as his home with him; con-
versed few minutes and then left him.
A short time later fire was discovered
in the building. The planning nil
whistle was blown. Mr. and Mrs. Emo
had retired for the night. Mrs. Emo
got up when when she heard the whistle
and cries of fire. and looked out of
| the window. AS she did so she saw the
roof of that portion of the building oc-
cupied by Mr.. Lemma cave in. She
went back and aroused her husband
and both hurriedly left the house.
Neighbors who gathered around the
fire entered the house and carried out
most of the furniture. The heat was
so intense that it set fire to the home of
Mr.. and Mrs. Thos. Blunt and that was
also destroyed. At about the time the
| general alarm was sounded, Mr. and
Mrs. Blunt, who had not retired, found
that their home was filled with smoke
and the building was then burning.
They saved nearly everything in the
building, the villagers carrying out
everything except few articles in that
portion of the house where the fire
started.
Everybody in the village turned out
to fight the fire, women as well as men.
The women pumped water while the
men carried it and soaked blankets on
the roofs of other buildings, which were
threatened
For a time things looked serious and
Wausau was importuned for aid Nj.
j. Krisky, the engineer, was located
and soon had fire started under the
boiler of the fire engine. A team was
secured from the Alexander Stewart
Lbr. Co. and hitched onto it and the
start made. Another wagon carried
hose. The arrival of the engine was
timely, for although the Emo and Blunt
buildings were then almost mass of
Goals, the real danger was at hand
Clouds of sparks and burning frag-
ments were carried on the wind which
was blowing at the time, and threat
ened further destruction. The home
of M. f. Mccullough and the Durkee
residence were close by, and it was
thought for a time neither could be
saved. A barn belonging to the Brooks
q Ross Lbr. Co., was also in danger.
j. ID. Ross, of Oak Park, H., junior
member of the above mentioned firm,
was at the home of his daughter, Mrs
Mccullough that night, and personally
directed the work of his men in fight
ing the fire. Blankets spread over the
roofs of buildings were kept soaked,
and in spite of this, several roofs did
catch fire. The arrival of the fire
engine was)a relief to the villagers.
Itwas not long after the arrival of the
engine when some one thought of Mr..
Lemma, whose bed room was situated
as we have described; he had not
been seen since the fire started.
Grave fears were entertained that
he had persisted in the flames.
Anxious ones began search which
resulted in bringing out the facts
as stated above. The remains were
located and taken possession of by
old friends, as soon as they could be
reached. The origin OF the fire cannot
be determined more than that it started
in the apartments occupied by MIR.
Lemma, and it must have done so
shortly after he had fallen asleep and
before becoming aware of it, he was
suffocated by the dense smoke and rem
dered helpless.
The Bentley building was owned by
Louis Jones and was worth not to ex-
coed 5000. Mr.. Blunt was much
heavier loser Besides his residence,
which was worth about $4,000, he lost
his barn and its contents.
The fire occurring at an early hour of
the night when many of our people
were still on the streets, and many
others coming away from the Y. M. G.
A. entertainment, there was rush for
the street cars as conveyances to the
village. The company put on three
extra cars and ran them after the usual
hour for shutting off power. These
people gave what assistance they could
to the Schofield fire brigade. 1t was
nearly three O'Clock Saturday morning
before the heap of Goals where the
buildings stood was deadened. But
the village people did not sleep any the
balance of the night. Coroner w. G..
Dickens, upon learning the facts in the
case, decided that it was unnecessary
to hold an inquest.
TURFIELD LEMMA