The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-01-30
Fire Department Has a Most Try.
ing and Nerve Hacking Ex
perience in the Big
Blizzard.
A HOUSE WAS DESTROYED
Wtaer Was Frozen to the Men
and They Became Human Ie-
icles During Three
Hours Work.

The worst night in the history OF
the paid fire department, said Fire
Chief Anderson this morning just be-
fore he went to bed to catch up some
lost sleep.
From 1880 o'clock until o'clock
in the morning the men were out at
Eighteenth and Concert streets in the
raging blizzard. fighting the blaze of
a frame house which was burned to
the ground with all of the contents.
The wind was blowing thirty miles
an hour from the north and the mer-
was soon turned into a human icicle
for the spray of the water upon their
clothing, soon turned 10 ice and the
men were encrusted in ice.
John Fisher had both hands frozen.
Assistant Chief Nichols is laid UP in
bed today. He froze his hands and
feet and has chill. being very sick.
John Givins broke his thumb after
the fire.
A dwelling house was entirely con-
sumed by the fire.
Two Alarms Last Night.
There were two alarms last night
and one this morning.
AT 1890 o'clock the department was
called to the Allen home in West keo-
kuk where flue was burning out. 1t
was long cold drive and the men
were glad to get back and warm them
selves. Some of them had retired
while others were still up at 11:3o
when the second alarm came from
Eighteenth and Concert streets where
the Strohmeier house was ablaze.
This morning a second alarm came
in from this last location, the coal in
the cellar of the ruins having become
ignited and the sparks were flying
about the neighborhood. The hydraAt
was frozen up and the chemical eal
CINE was used to put out the fire. i
A Frigh.fuI Night.
The Strohmeier house was 4 mass
of flames when the department ar
rived shortly before midnight. 1t wax
a long hard run against the bitter
northwest wind and the men were
chilled by the time they arrived.
The nearest fire plug was at Six.
teenth and Blondeau and a line of hose
was laid.
The flames were leaping out of the
windows and doors of the house and
flying embers were being carried into
the sky and scattered not only about
the neighborhood. but sent flying all
over town.
As soon IS the water was turned on
there was trouble, for the wind blew
the water right back onto the men ii
they stood on the south side of the
house and when they got around on
the other side the fire seemed TO laugh
at their efforts and blazed with vigor
No man could have stood in the
spray of the hose and there was but
one place to stand and fight the fire
Standing OH the north side of the
blaze. the men poured water into the
blaze. getting the full benefit of the
north wind upon their backs and get
ting no heat from the fire, all OF which
blew the other wa.
A sudden gust Of wind would switch
the spray back onto the men and it
was not long lefore all were covered
with frost and ice. Three hours Of
this experience made truman icicies Of
the men. They. could not stoop over CT
their clothing would break and some
of them had hard time TO remove their
clothes after they had got home.
Cbiiie,. 10 the bone the men STAYED
with the blaze until it had burned it
self cut and shortly before O'Clock
the welcome order was given to start
back TO the stations.
During the progress of the blaze, the