Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-07-05
FIRE DESTROYS
A WIDOWS ALL
Afternoon Blaze Takes Worldly
Belongings Of Mrs. Sarah
McGrath.
STARTS IN A PAINT SHOP
Disaster ut 1910 THIRD Avenue
Other Fourth of July Work OF
the Red Fiend.

Fire broke out at s:1S p m yes
terday back of J. @. Stevens paint
shop. 1910 Third avenue, destroying
the contents OF the rear of the build
ing and spreading to the second floor
occupied by Mrs. Sarah McGrath.
where 1t destroyed all her household
goods together with $40 In paper
money which she saved from the
earnings Of herself and two
daughters One of her daugh-
ters ia employed as clerk at
Young q McCombg' department
store. The other is employed by the
Pardon Wall Paper company.
/ UNABLE TO RETURN.
Mrs. NcGrath was In the rear
room when she noticed smoke COM
ing up by the back door, but
she hardly thought IT could be
are. However. she stepped to the
door and the flames rolled up so that
her daughter Sarah, who had just
stepped out and who had started to re-
turn was unable to enter. She ran
TO the telephone, but was unable to
make herself understood. She then
ran down on the street and meeting
. citizen informed rSp Of the fire,
and he immediately N>Cned in an
alarm from a fire alarm box. Miss
McGrath started back up stairs. but
could not get to her money which
she had In the kitchen.
FLAMES SPREAD RAPIDLY.
When the fremen arrived, the
flames had spread so that II was i'm
possible to save the furnishings of
the fat. The other floor was saved,
but the flames got into the building
occupied by the Reddig Plumbing
company, 1912 Third avenue, and
caused considerable damage. VIII
liam White, who occupied the rear
rooms of the second floor, lost prac-
IDEALLY all his household goods.
The total damage done by the FIRE
will probably reach $4,000. The
.csges, however, are covered by in
surance with the exception Of those
suffered by Mrs. McGrath and Mr..
White. neither of whom had a cent of
insurance.
LEFT WITHOUT SHELTER
Mrs. McGrath's was q heart-rend-
ing blow. She has four children
at home, two Of whom are too young
to work. Last night they were with
out shelter or places to sleep.
The two daughters who have
been working were unable to
report today because their clothes
were nearly all destroyed by the
fire.
Last evening Mrs. McGrath and her
children would have been without a
place 90 sleep but for assistance rem
dered her through the firm OF Lininger
& Meyers, who have offices In the sam
block. Mr. Meyers went to his home
and procured bedding and 6xed up
places TO sleep in the rear Of his once
In addition to providing sleeping quar-
ters, the firm, aided by ]. T. MarroL,
headed q subscription list and at l
O'Clock today more than $110 had been
collected from the business men who
contributed literally Nhen The condi-
tions were set before them.
How the fire started no one seems
to know. The only thing that Is
known is that It started in or at the
rear OF the paint shop and spread
with great ferocity.
BUSY TIME FOR FTREMEN.
Whether or not the Fourth had any
thing to do with 1t, no less than eight
alarms were turned into the fire depart
ment between 10 o'clock yesterday and
} this morning The first was q call to
put one of those daily sawdust fires
out, and was received by station No 2.
The fire. as usual with fires In this To-
In ItYo TO- he fro
he passing trains The next cali was
20 1919 Third avenue, where probably
SIS 200 or more losses were suffered, as
related above. At Clio p. N. a CAL
came from 1924 Fifth avenue. a shed
owned by Peter Beselin was on fire
Nominal damages. At $3.50 call was
turned in TO put out a grass fire at
Thirtieth street and Tenth avenue
This was followed by a call at $50 TO
put out q FIRE at 1901 Third avenue
Shingles on the saloon run by August
Van Kerrboeck caught fire from fire
works. Damage very slight
CONTINUE THIS MORNING.
This morning three alarms were
turned In In rapid succession, the first
one being at 1925. The call came from
1920 Fourth avenue. The residence
owned by Mrs. Cora Reed caught fire
in the flooring, due TO heat from the
pipe leading from the laundry stove in (
the basement. Although the pipe was
covered with asbestos. the material
had become somewhat worn, and dii
not protect the flooring sufficiently
The fire was put out with slight dam
age. however From here the FIRE en-
gines were summoned 70 the Crown /
restaurant, 1710 Second avenue. Rub |
bish of the building caught on IRE No |
damage.
The last was a deliberate false alarm !
urned in from box No. Is. Three fell /
ows were seen 20 turn IN the alarm .
and then run. This is a serious prae-