The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1908-12-17
Residence Of Thos. B. Jeffery on
Durkee Ave. Badly Damaged
by Fire on Sunday
WATER MAKES LOSS HEAVY
Flames Break Out in the Third Floor
Of the Building and Firemen
Prevent Their Spread to
Other Portions

The splendid residence of Thomas B..
Jeffrey, president of the Thomas B..
Jeffrey company, was badly damaged
] by fire Just after one O'Clock Sunday
afternoon when blaze which broke
out on the third story of the residence
spread rapidly to the roof of the house
and before it could be extinguished
heavy damage was done. The exact
cause of the fire is not known, but it
is thought that the flames started from
a defective fue. The fremen respond
ed promptly to the cali and within a
half an hour the flames were under
control, but in that time the fire and
water had done damage which can not
as yet be estimated and while the loss
is placed in the neighborhood Of $4,000,
it may be much over that amount
Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey and the other
members of the household were at din
ner when the fire was discovered. It
had broken out in one of the rooms oc-
cupied by the maids on the third floor
and bad spread with remarkable rapid
ity. When the alarm was turned in
the roof of the dig building was a
mass of flames A great crowd gather
ed at the scene Of the fire and aided
the members Of the department in their
efforts to prevent the destruction of
the building. In an effort to prevent
damage to the interior decorations of
the house and the costly furnishings
the members of the department made
an effort to stop the flames with the
use of chemicals, but this proved i'm
possible and several lines of hose were
used al thee fire. The damage by fire
was nothing as compared with the dam.
age done by the water. The water
poured into the third story of the
building went through the floors and
walls to the floors below badly dam
aging the walls and ceilings and the
decorations Of the house.
The house was one of the most
splendidly decorated houses in Keno
sha and the work of re-decorating it
from the basement to the attic had
just been completed a short time ago
The flames did not reach the lower
floors of the building at all No effort
was made to take out the various pieces
of furniture on the first floor and Mr..
Jeffrey is hopeful that none of this
has been seriously damaged Men
who are accustomed to adjust such
losses claim that it will be impossible
to estimate the loss properly for sew
eral weeks as the ceilings in the house
may have been damaged by the water
to such an extent that all Of them
may have to be replaced.
There was insurance Of 5000 on
the building, but nothing on the furn-
ishings of the house and it is thought
that the insurance will fully cover the
loss,
The Phoenix of Hartford has a
policy of $4,000 on the building and
the remainder Of the insurance is car
ried by the National Fire Insurance
4 Company of Hartford. Tt is probable
that the adjusters will be here on Tues
day or Wednesday to begin the work
Of adjusting the loss.
Early Morning Fire
The fire department had another run
to the Second ward Just before four
0 clock Sunday morning when fire
broke out in the barn on the premises
owned by Mrs. w. II. Saunders. The
y&ln is wedged in between a number
of houses and for this reason the blaze
was a very dangerous one. The fire
had big Roadway when the depart
ment arrived, but the men managed
to prevent it spreading to any other
building in the neighborhood A horse
belonging to DR. H. A. Robinson and
an automobile belonging to DR.. A. Van
| Westreinen were in the barn at the
time the fire broke out, but they were
taken out without damage. Tt IS sup
iposed that the fire was caused by
| spontaneous combustion The loss
will be in the neighborhood Of 5000
and it is covered by insurance.