Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-04-30
cosTLY CONFEDERATION PAR
TALLY DESTROYS BIG FRAME
BUILDING OCCUPIED BY THE
WEST END DRUG COMPANY.
F. Z. KIDD s. co.
HEAVIEST LOSERS
TRENTON BALLAGH SAVES WO.
MANS LIFE-FIREMEN, HANDI.
CAPPED BY POOR WATER PRES
SURE PUT UP GREAT FIGHT.

The most damaging fire in Ottum-
wa for some time occurred this morn
Ing, partially destroying the large
frame structure at the corner Of Nc
Lean and Second streets, occupied by
the West End Drug Co. Trenton Bal
lagh by carrying out Mrs. Hughes pre-
vented 10 fatalities from being
greater. rba bidding was one Of the
the lower floor being occupied by the
drug store owned by F. z. Kidd & Co.,
while the upstairs and the resident
addition to the east were occupied by
private families. The roof of the en-
tire structure, except the addition to
the back, was totally destroyed by the
blaze, while the damage wrought by
water on the lower floors will be
equally as great. In reality the upper
story Of the building was destroyed as
the flames had eaten up the roof and
part Of the second story before the fire
was under the control Of the flremen.
The building was owned by stephen
Barnes.
Saves Woman's Life.
Trenton Ballagh. an employe of the
White House bakery played the role
of hero during the fire. When the
flames were discovered Mrs. Hughes,
the mother of Mrs. Deskin was con-
fined to her bed with illness. Seeing
her danger Ballagh rushed into her
apartments, lifted her out of the bed
and carried her through the dense
smoke to neighboring house. The
woman has been very i'll and al
though she received a shock through
the excitement, she is resting easier
this afternoon. Had it not been for
the presence of mind and courage OF
Mr.. Ballagh the woman might have
been seriously burned or cremated by
the flames.
The fire loss will run in the neigh
borhood Of $4,000. The loss suffered
by the F. 2. Kidd & Co., to it's drug
stock alone will amount in the neigh
borhood Of $4,000. While very little
of the stock was damaged by the
flames, the flood of water coming
through the ceiling, totally destroyed
the drug stock. Everything In the
drug store was drenched by the water.
The company's stock was partially
covered by insurance. The loss to the
building will be between $4,000 to
$4,000. Mr.. Barnes, owner of the
structure, carried heavy insurance on
the building. The damage to the
household goods belonging to the priv
ate families will reach in the neighbor-
hood Of $4,000. What was not de-
stroyed by the flames was damaged
by water. Earl Wells, one Of the
tenants carried no insurance and his
household goods were damaged the
worst. The other tenants in the build
ing were J. E. Deskin, a Milwaukee
employe and his family and Mr.. and
Mrs. W. B. Wendell.
Fire Burned Rapidly.
The fire was discovered about 1920
o'clock by James Byrnes, small
boy, who, while standing at the rear OF
the White House bakery saw the
flames leaping on the roof.
He Immediately ran into the bakery
and the alarm was sent in. The de-
partment from the central station
made a quick response. Although not
a great distance from the central sta
tion, the flames had made great head
way and were leaping high in the air
all over the roof, when the department
arrived. Two lines Of hose were laid.
A second alarm was turned in and the
South Side department responded
and it laid third line Of hose. Three
lines of hose were played on the
building and after forty minutes hard
work, the firemen had the flames un-
der control. Owing to the building
being a frame structure and shingle
roof 1t burned like tinder, and the lit
tie wind which was blowing helped to
fan the flames.
The firemen were handicapped by
the water pressure, the force not
being .trong enough to break the
glass or reach the top Of the building
and it was necessary to ascend to the
roof before the base Of the flames
could be reached. Had the flames Sc
cured a little more headway it would
have been practically impossible to
save the surrounding store buildings.
Mayor Phillips, Councilmen Hahn and
Bremhorst, the latter being chairman
of the fire committee, were at the
scene Of the blaze and they severely
scored the water company for furnish
ing such moor pressure.