The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1909-12-23
'kOSS BAKERY DAMAGED.
Fire Saturday Night Causes Serious
Loss to Frank Koss.

The Koss Bakery, owned and oper-
ated by Frank NJ. Koss, at No. 311
| High avenue west, was heavily dam
aged by fire Saturday night. The fire
originated in the bake room at the
north end of the building about 1870
O'Clock, and did damage to oven, appa-
ratus and material. The loss may
reach several thousand dollars. The
fire burned about two hours before it
was fully controlled. =
The fire was discovered by Fred
| Davis and companion as they were
crossing the alley at the west OF the
Kalbach building in which the bust
ness is located They made hur-
ried investigation and turned in an
alarm. The fire company made ready
response and soon had couple of
streams OF water playing on the build
ing. The flames were hard to reach
on account OF the construction OF the
oven. The fire made considerable pro-
gress and burned through the floors
and the ceiling into the rafters and
along the roof The oven was hot at
the time of the fire and the water that
| flooded the room may cause serious
damage. The oven was comparative
ly new and cost about fifteen hundred
dollars at the time of building.
Almost a car load of -four about
thirty-fiye cases of eggs, consider
able quantity of sugar, fruits and 9th
er material that was in stock were
stored in the shop near the fire. All
Of this material is damaged, to what
extent has not been determined today.
II the oven had been damaged to the
extent that it cannot be used, Mr.. Koss
will be unable to open again until
repairs can be made, as there is no
other available oven that will accom-
nodate his trade. He supplies many
out of town customers and all of this
trade, together with the extra trade
that holidays always brings, will be
total loss to him.
| The fire is thought to have origin
lted in defective electric wiring 1t
seems to have started in part OF the
house where there was nothing else
that could have caused a fire. The
oven had been off since four o'clock on
! account of Saturday might being
rest night. The flames could not have
originated from this source. The
loss is only partially covered by insur-
ance.
Some damage was caused to the
w. j. Howell notion stock which oc-
cupies the east room of the Kalbach
building. The apartments on the Sec
ond floor were badly smoked and the
occupants were much frightened and
had made preparations to move out.
| The flames burst through the roof OF
The oven and storage room in numer-
Gus places and came through the
| sides and the rear. The firemen had
trouble in getting to the seat OF the
ire and their fight LASTED about two
| hours.
The fire at the Koss Bakery Sunday
morning, said to have originated in OBJ
solete and defective wiring, will posi-
bly, recall to the city council an ordi-
nance providing for the inspection of
al electric wiring now installed in
buildings in the BUSINESS part of the
'ity, that is lying upon the table"
pending action. The ordinance was
prepared almost a year ago at the
suggestion of the special committee
u the Iowa Fire Protective Associa.
ion that visited Oskaloosa and found
nucn fault with some of the ancient
wire work that threatened damage to
| many buildings.
An inspector of well known ins,lr
lnce company was in Oskaloosa re-
Gently and made examination of the
risks held by the local agent. He also
complained of number of risks, crit
clsed the defective wiring and stated
without reserve that the faulty wir
ing must be changed or the risks can.
celled '.
III the regulation OF the wiring OF
business buildings and the appoiut-
ment OF an inspector will save serious
'oss, that is the thing to do and it
should be done now. Because serious
loss has not occurred before is no
guarantee of futrue security andt here
Is small satisfaction in locking the
door after the mare has been stolen