The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1908-04-09
LOCAL FORCE UNABLE
TO COPE WITH BLAZE
Departments of Cambridge City and Dayton Re-
sponded to Call and Rendered Efficient Ser
vice--Most Stubborn Fire Ever Fought
by the Local Department.

from the Internal regions. The excel |
lent work done by the out of town fire |
men had the desired effect and by |
three O'Clock the blaze was we'll under
control and only squirting up fitfully
in various spots.
Additional Aid.
The arrival of the Dayton and Cam
bridge City companies was also boon
to the local firemen who were reduced
in numbers by injuries and the deadly
smoke and almost exhausted by their
hard work. Never for a miaute, how
ever, did the local fire fighters quit
their gigantic task but chung to the
fight with the tenacity of bulldog. It
was due to their heroic efforts that the
buildings adjoining the Colonial were
saved from destruction. After Chief
Miller had been hauled struggling from
the basement of the building and
placed unuer the care OF Il pnS SlCldt
Assistant Chief Charles Sinnex as
sumed command of the fire fighters.
Smoke Hindered Work.
For hours the firemen were unable
to locate where the blaze was raging
the most owing to the heavy smoke
which rolled out of the building at ev-
cry place possible for it to escape.
Firemen were sent 10 the roof of the
building from that vantage spot
they fought the fire until it drove
them from their position. To every
one it appeared that the building of
the International Harvester company.
to the rear of the Colonial building
would also be destroyed. This
building was kept drenChed with wat
err and the flames were fought back
from it by firemen stationed in the
alley which separates the two build
ings. After the flames spread to the
east section of the Colonial the block
was threatened and all the families
who resided there quickly vacated
their flats and removed their house
hold goods to the street.
Store Rooms Vacated.
All of the store rooms on the ground
floor of the Colonial were quickly va
Gated. Pianos were rolled out OF the
Watson piano store while the clerks
and volunteers carried various assort-
ment OF goods from the Model Cloth
ing company, the Knox Five and Ten
Cent Store and the other store rooms.
| Tenants of office rooms on the second
! floor were successful in saving most
. Of their property but the tenants of
office rooms on the third floor were
not so successful. Smoke forced them
to desist from their efforts.
Not thing was saved from the beau
] tiful Elks club rooms on the third
| floor. All the lodge records and par
| aphernalia were destroyed by the fire
demon, The loss to the Elks will
probably amount to $4,000. This is
entirely covered by insurance.
| Scene Spectacular.
| The scene presented by the burning
| building was a most spectacular one.
| After the roof ipnjted clou6s of an,
bers and sparks lighted the heavens
like fireworks display. When the
first and second floors and the roof
gave under. the crash sounded like sal
yOs of artillery.
A Thrilling Moment.
One of the thrilling moments of the
fire was when a combination ladder.
reaching from South Seventh street TO
the roof, collapsed under the burden of