The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-04-08

soon as the horses were safe, Mr..
Lemert started up the street toward
the fire house, shouting Fire" In
less than five minutes later, the de-
partment was on the scene and might
have saved part OF the large barn,
if there had been sufficient pres
sure in the water mains. Before a
fire stream was forced through the
lines OF hose which had been con-
nected, the entire building was in
flames, and the heat created was so
intense, that spectators were unable
TO stand across the street, from the
Firemen Save Two Buildings.
The work of the fire department,
which could be termed miraculous,
saved the Borton building which is
back OF the livery barn. and the Lem
ert residence from sharing the fate
OF the Livery barn. Five or six times
these buildings were in flames, and
their nearness to the large fire with
flames blowing directly against these
buildings, il is considered wonderful
that they were not reduced to ashes.
Yet. Drawing the intense heat, and fl =
ing fire brands, the volunteer fireman
fought the flames off the two SEEM
ingly doomed buildings with the re.
suit of only three or four hundred
dollars damage 1t IS said by spec
tatOrS that had the wind not changed
from the northeast to north, it is
improbable that the Boron building
could have been saved at any rate, as
the flames were being blown hercely
against that wooden structure. The
metal building OF Marks, CRUDE and
Harley, hardware store, whIch S di-
rectly west OF the burned barn, is
none the worse. excepting for the
loss of window lights, which were
melted out The telephone and cleo
tric Egit wires in the alley, were
melted down.
Fire Crosses River.
Fire brands were blown across the
river, a distance OF 200 yards, and
ignited the residence of VIM Det-
wiler, and a quantity. OF corn stalks
owned by Mr. Beldon The damage
lone here, howevr. was not heavy.
What the Damage Was.
Mr. Lemert had recently purchased
the livery barn and lot on which it
stood. for $4,000. The barn was the
largest livery barn in the city, and
measured 1OOx1O4 feet. The value OF
the barn vas easily $4,000 Since OBJ
.aining the barn, Mr.. Lemert has
placed Improvements on it in the sum
OF $3.50 The NOW was filled with
hay. clover and timothy, valued at
s21O A large number of new blank
cts, and veterinary and other tools
were lost, $40. Damage done to
Lernert residence $500. Loss of wood
shed and contents. 5000 Damage to
Borton building, Detwiler residence,
telephone wires, $3.50. Total S4s5O.
Other Destructive Fires.
The burning OF Lemert's Livery
barn early Monday morning calls to
the memory of many old citizens sew
eral destructive fires which occurred
in the early history OF Plymouth be-
fore 1t had water-works, or a hook
and ladder company, or even a
bucket brigade.
The first disastrous fire, and the
one which will be the longest remenl-
bered was that which occurred De
cember 16, 1851. The fire caught in
the tin-shop of Robert Rusk in a
wooden building which stood on tn,
lot in the east side OF Michigan stree
about where the buildings of Shoe
makers saloon is now located. 1t was
about eight o'clock in the morning
and the mercury was 13 degrees be-
low zero The drug store of H. B.
Pershing which stood on the corner
now occupied by the First National
Bank, was torn down, including the
law office of c. H. Reeve All the
buildings on that block were burned
TO the ground The buildings which
contained the dwellings of Robert
Rusk and Frank Baker; the office Oh
DR.. Rufus Brown; the tailor shop OF
W. l.. Bentz; the tin shop of Rober.
Rusk; the grocery store of Bailey &
Trowbridge; the store ware-room oi
John L. Westervelt; the barber and
tailorshop of A. Kendall, and part oil
the drug store of H. B. Pershinq
were entirely consumed The losses
were estimated at $4,000, with little
or no insurance All those doing
business in that block at that time
are dead.
This block was again DESTROYED
March %, 1857, the alarm being
Sounded about one O'Clock in the
morning. The buildings were all ol
wood and there being no fire depart
ment, the citizens betook themselves
to removing the contents into the
street The intense heat occasioned
by the burning of an entire block o
buildings, aided by a brisk northwest
wind carried the fire to the west side
of the street. and the goods in the
street, and the entire block on the
west side of Michigan street, with
the exception of a single building or