Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-10-17

Ecu Dy tHlS time tndI the DlaZe was
one of thetlargest that had ever oc-
Cured in the city, and with shifting
wind, might atsapy minute menace the
entire lower portion of the city.
The police department, too, was ON
the scene with all of the men in the
department, and rendered good service
in maintaining the fire lines and keep
ing the crowds from dangerous places
or points where they would hinder the
work of the department. The police,
as well as the fire department, found
need of volunteers, and these were
readily at hand. 1t would have re-
quired force of a thousand to keep
the crowd back entirely, and perform
all of the duties that devolved on the
police, however
Started From an Explosion.
1t was concluded, after an investiga-
ton of the facts today, that the fire
originated in an explosion of coal dust
i'll one of the Rock Island Lumber e
Manufacturing company's sheds. Ern-
est Templer, the Waterman, had been
at the sheds less than 10 minutes be-
fore the fire broke out, and at that
time he is sure there was no blaze. He
registered in on the watchman's box
| at the shed, and returned to the office
soon afterwards. He had just entered
| the office when he heard a report of
an explosion, and hurrying out, saw the
shed in a mass of flame. Wilhelm
| Thoms, the crossing fiagman and
| Waterman, also heard the report and
saw the shed burst into flames. He
was probably the first to see the fire.
In hurrying to give the alarm, how
ever, he collapse, probably partly from
excitement and partly from exhaustion.
and it was some minutes before he re-
covered and was able to hurry on TO
turn in an alarm.
| Alarmed in Davenport.
| Davenport residents in the vicinity
ward were greatly alarmed by the fall
ing shower of embers. for they realized
that, should a fire break out any
where at the foot of the hill and ge
beyond control it would sweep north
ward to the city limits and be faI
more serious than the fire ON this side
Cf the river. The fire companies no
!, sent to this side were kept where tn,
[ danger was greatest and residents go
out with garden hose and squelchet
incipient fires as fast as they brok.
cut. At the White lumber and Goa
yards east of the bridge a company 9
firemen was kept busy for seyera
hours.
r'- Seen 80 Miles Away.
The blaze caused a wonderful spec
, tacle, and a more impressive an
beautiful, and at the same time start
ling, scene, could hardly be imagined
The sky was lighted, and for miles tn
i, flames Illuminated the landscape wit
almost the brightness of daylight TIL
j., reflection of the glare of light wa
seen for over so miles, and peopl
9 came to Rock Island from all part
of the surrounding country to witnes
the spectacle at closer range. At Cir
9 ton the light could be seen, and raj
:, way men could see it as far away a
| w iowa, anu GpUeS6O.
= The air was full of burning brands
carried by the high wind toward tn
4. river 1t was stated today that a fir
a brand over two feet long was carrie
= into the air and landed in yard tw
> blocks north of Locust street in Da'
= export, on the hill.
q Deal to Sell Machinery
/ The destruction of the old sawmi
4 IN itself furnishes material for muc
q comment. ii space permitted. TIL
O Euilding and plant had stood for year
?. and hundreds of millions of feet {
o lumber had been cut in the mill du
;, ing the last two decades. Recently
= was decided to abandon the mill an
last week negotiations were conducte
-. for the sale of the machinery TO Roac
= & Musser, lumber manufacturers
Muscatine. The terms had been pra
tically agreed upon, and the pric
about $4,000, was to have been pal
next week. Arrangements for the di
manteling of the mill had already bee
made, and work was to begin the fir
ii the week. The deal had not, hoy
ever, been formally closed. and Roac
G Musser are not among those WI
are losers by reason of the fire.
Attracted Thousands.
All manner and kinds. of dress ar
lndress and many funny costume
were seen at the fire last evenin
people fiocking to the fire withol
taking time to properly array ther
selves. Many men living in the e
treme ends of town deceived by II
location of the fire by the livld fam,
eft bs-Ae without hats or coats. thin
ing the fire was quite close. but the
\ Kept on going till the fire was reache
dancing party was broken up whe
the alarm was turned in and ladit
in fancy ball costumes and dancir
slippers mingled with the coatless-
hatless men. Still others were pr
pairing to make up for lost time
catching some sleep and were prepa
ing to retire but at the sound of Il
&larm they quickly donned what ga
ments they could get into quickes
One young lady, quite popular in t
city society, was just in such a POI