The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1910-09-15
FINE HOME DESTROYED.
Residence of Mr.. and Mrs. /. C.
Johnson Ruined by Fire.

The fine residence property at S25
High avenue East, owned by DIR. W..
L. Crowder and occupied by the I. c.
Johnson family, was completely ruin
ed by fire Saturday evening. The
loss on house and goods will run we'll
up to $4,000, all fully 0. partially in
sured. The origin OF the fire is un.
known. The flames caught In the at.
tic, and apparently very close to the
roof. There had been a small fire in
the furnace early in the morning and
it might be possible that the flame
had caught from this and smouldering
along all day, although a more
plausible reason for the fire is found
in the use of an instantaneous water
heater in the bath room that had been
burning several times during the even
ing. The fiue from the burner went
through the attic and out through the
roof. The fire was first seen by the
inmates of the home, breaking through
ceiling of the bath room, and at that
time the whole attic seemed to be
mass of fame. About the same time
the fire broke through the roof and
was seen by neighbors and passers-
by. The alarm was sounded and i'm
mediately the work of carrying out
the household goods was started. The
children were sound asleep and other
members of the household had retired
Master Kelly was aroused by the ex-
element and he ran out in his night
clothes, while little Hanna was car
ried out sound asleep and taken by
Mrs. c. M. Miller to the latter's home
across the street. Kelly was cared
for at the o. II. Schee home. By a
peculiar combination of circumstan-
ces there were twelve people and all
their personal effects in the house at
the time of the fire. Mr.. and Mrs.
Ralph Burnside and the children were
there, practically all packed and ready
to go to their new home in South Bend
Washington, and the VIM. Burnside
family, who recently disposed of their
home on South Eleventh street, were
also there with their trunks and clothes
ready to start for California to spend
the winter. @
The fire had gotten such big start
when first discovered that the house
was beyond saving when the fire de-
partment arrived. The firemen did
good work, however, and soon had
the flames completely quenched. I'm.
possible as 1t seems, some of the
goods that could not be gotten out of
one of the rooms up stairs we're not
burned, though the flames destroyed
room. The piano was rescued, and
the household goods that were saved
were carried to the adjoining houses
and cared for.
1t was the most destructive and
costly fire that has visited 0skaloosa
for long time, and everything being
so dry it is fortunate that the flames
did not spread to adjoining proper
ties. The intense heat was showing
its effects on the DIR. w. S. Windle
home directly east Of the burning
house, and water brought into play
on it from a garden hose undoubtedly
prevented flames from breaking out
there.
Mr.. and Mrs. Johnson and Mr.. and
Mrs. R. II. Burnside were visiting at
the s. W. Jameson home on Third
avenue at the time. For some reason
the telephone failed to work and by
the time a message had notified them
the damage had been done and they
returned to find their home in ruins
and their goods scattered in all diree.
tons.