The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1907-11-07
FIRE DESTROYS
MORROW'S LIVERY
BUILDING AND MOST OF THE CON
TENTS BURNED.
TIE HORSES WERE ALL SAVED
Losses viii Be From $4,000 To $685..
600, Only Partially Covered BY
lnsuranes-Many Private
Rigs Consumed.

ton of the w. A. McNeill building, cor
ner of High avenue and Second street,
occupied by the George A. Morrow
livery business and by the Offices of
the Mcneil Brothers Company. The
building and almost all its contents
were wholly destroyed, but the prompt
action OF Mr. Morrow and son, Frank
Morrow saved the loss of any of the
stock stabbed in the basement of the
building. A few of the rigs in the
building were taken out, but the larger
number of the better vehicles went up
in flames.
The fire started in the north end OF
the second story and by the time the
fire company arrived so great Roadway
had been gained that the fire depart
ment could not stay the progress OF
the flames, although four streams of
water were turned upon the building,
The loss of the building and contents
viii cause an aggregate loss of be-
tween thirty and thirty-five thousand
dollars, a portion of which is covered
by insurance.
No statement has been made as to
the intention of rebuilding the proper
ty, but it is probable that the building
Will be replaced next season.
Cause and Start. u
The cause of the fire may never be
definitely known. No one is certain
of the origin of the flames. The fire
may have been caused by spontaneous
combustion in new hay, or by tobacco
fire dropped somewhere in the vicinity.
Some have ascribed the start of the
fire to defective electric wiring. This
was impossible, as there were no wires
in the part of the building where the
fire started.
The fire was first discovered by
George Morrow, owner of the livery
business conducted at the place. He
with his son Frank had gone toward
the rear portion of the building shortly
before six O'Clock, when great quaint.
ties of heavy smoke began filling the
room A moments investigation
showed the building to be on fire, al
though it was impossible at that time
to determine its exact location. The
Morrows did not attempt to turn in an
alarm. Their first thought was for
the safety of the fifty head of horses
in the basement stables of the build
ing. Both ran to the basement, cut
the animals loose and drove them from |
the barn. The horses, turned loose,
scattered at will about the streets, but |
many of them sought to re-enter the
burning building and had to be pre-
vented by means of whips until they |
could be secured.
A number of people attempted to |
turn in the alarm from places in the |
neighborhood The first flames that |
building caught the telephone cable |
that runs through the alley north of
the barn and fifty pairs of wires were |
rendered useless. The girl in central |
knew that something was wrong, but |
could not locate the trouble. She |
next heard the fire bell, but was still |
helpless in calling the firemen, be-
cause she did not know the location of
the fire. The alarm was sent in by |
Charles Douglas, employed at the
Shipley & Novels barns near the scene
OF the fire. Douglas reached the fire
department by means of the odd
phone and the fire fighters we're soon
at the scene of the trouble. By the
time the company was ready for work
the entire upper floor of the building
was aflame and the fire burned very
quickly into the other portions. The
fire Travelled from the top down, but
made rapid progress. When the heavy
roof fell I'm the whole building was a
Yeritable furnace. The side walls
soon collapsed and within few hours
all was a heap of ruins where had
stood one Of the best business blocks
in the city.
The wind was blowing from the
north and the flames originated at the
north end of the building in a NOW
filed with hay. The entire building
was soon filled with a dense smoke
and explosive fumes which, becoming
sHper.heated, rapidly communicated
the fire to all parts of the structure.
As soon as the supports OF the roof
were consumed it fell with a crash
that carried the floors TO the basement
and the whole place was in ruins. So
rapid was the progress OF the fire that
the department was entirely powerless
before it, and the four streams of
water that were soon going had no
effect The intense heat endangered
neighboring property, but the big feed
and sale stable OF Sam Walthall on
the north was protected by streams
from garden hose.
List of the Losses.
The loss OF the building is complete.
Not one Of the walls was standing
within a few hours following the fire.
Mr.. Mcneil carried about $500 insur-
ance on the property. The offices of
McNelli Brothers were at the front OF
the second story and they contained
much valuable property and furniture.
These Offices we're complete wreck
along with the rest OF the building
This loss represents number OF hun
dreds Of dollars, With no insurance.
The livery business of George A.
Morrow sustains heavy loss. Almost