The Goodland republic., 1907-04-19
EARL DERBY RESIDENCE BURNS
COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY
FIRE SUNDAY NIGHT.
Flames Seem to Have Originated by
the Kitchen Cooking Stove
Insurance $4,000.

A dne twO-stOry frame residence on
Fourteenth street and Sherman ave
nue., the property Of Earl Derby, but
operated as a roOming house by his
mother, Matilda, was completely de
stroyed by fire Sunday night The
alarm was given about 9 o'clock, and
about an hour later, the residence was
a mass Of charred ruins. The vol
Unteer forces Of fire fighters had no
chance to save the building, but by
heroic work, the adjoining residences
were saved.
The residence was insured for ST.
SEQ and the contents for $500, the risk
being written by Shimeau in the Pro
Washington Fire Insurance
company
The fire seems to have originated in
the kitchen near the cooking stove, as
the fire first made its appearance in
that corner Of the building. This was
the only stove except one gasoline,
that was set up in the house, and the
only one that was used by Mrs Derby
for cooking and heating purposes
Mrs Derby. after preparing her
supper luncheon, went to the Method
ist church services. She had returned
and was preparing to retire for night
in the front room OF the house when
she was alarmed by the smell Of
smoke. Upon opening the door Of the
sitting room, she was cast back by a
cloud Of smoke in the rOOms and ran
to give the alarm to rOOmers in the
second story All Of the eight rail-
road men that had lodging there were
out except Coacham, and he had no
difficulty in getting out
Mrs. OakfOrd, in the residence north
Of the Derby property, heard the
alarm, and she teIephOned central,
and in a very short space Of time the
fire bell at the waterwOrks was pound
ing away at fire signals, and later
came whistle blasts from the railroad
works.
Men rushed to the waterworks, and
were soon on the run with the hose
cart and hook and ladder to the scene
Of trouble, but already the fire had
broken out Of the rear OF the build
ing.
The pressure and supply Of water in
that part Of the city, by reason Of
small mains, is not sufficient to cope
with a big fire, and the fire fighters
were therefore handicapped Roy
LasIey displayed much courage in
handling the hose on top Of the Oak
ford residence. He was in the face Of
fierce heat, but did his part herOicly
and saved that building from the
grasp OF the fire.
force Of round house men came
to the scene with a big hose from the
railroad standpipe, and they helped
cOnfine the fire. The wind was blow
ing mildly from the southeast when
the fire started; later it changed to
the northwest for a very short time
and then it veered back to the south
Eeast again. It made the men change
their base OF operations from the
Oakford house to the Candy house on
the south, and then back to the Oak
ford house again
Hooks from the ladder lagoon were
brought into requisitiOn, and the men
succeeded in pulling down small parts
OF the house to reduce the ferocity Of
the flames.
Fully a thousand people cOngre-
gated in the street to witness the fire,
and a force of men soon emptied the
Oakford house Of all its furniture and
equipment and laid it in the street
and considerable Of the stuff, in the
burning building was removed, but
was damaged more or less
The Derby residence was built in
about the year 1890 or 1891 by A. z.
King, a conductor, who, after he had
just completed his fine home, lost his
job on the road here and left for other
parts Of the country to find employ
ment. The lumber used in the build
ing was selected and the inside was
finished, of elegantly. The years Of