Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-07-25

block that begins with the II. P. Baker
building occupied by the Cooper firm
at the corner of Court street and con-
tinues to Washington on Main street,
was not destroyed. Nor were the
buildings in that block alone endan-
gered, for at one stage of the fierce fire
the heat became so intense as to
threaten the buildings across Main and
Court streets and hose was stretched
along the wall on the Court street side
of the Ottumwa Savings bank build
ing and stream played along the
Court street wall as well as over the
roofs of several of the buildings in
that block near the corner.
Threaten Block.
! On the buildings alongside the burn
ing furniture store were men with hose
and three streams of hose were played
| from the roof Of the Gas company's
building which adjoined the burning
structure. Here the fire fighters faced
an inferno, for so intense was the heat,
and the smoke so dense. that those
holding the hose wore a covering over
their heads and hands to ward or the
| heat and keep the smoke out Of their
eyes and nostrils. These coverings
were of gunnysacking and were kept
wet by others assisting in the fight
waged from this side of the fire. The
danger was so great once the fire got |
Roadway, that it was feared the Gas |
Co., Haw-Simmons the Hall.Ekfelt |
and Hutchinson establishments would |
fall victims to the fire. A shifting Of
the wind turned the tide somewhat and
70 time threatened the feed and seed
plant Of George Bissell. This concern
adjoins the Cooper store on the south
along Court street and but fire wall
divided the two buildings. The third
floor of the feed concern Is used by
the Cooper firm. for part OF it's stock
as show room for seating furniture.
Building Quilted.
For time eight streams were turn
ed on the fire and three streams were .
largely In use protecting the rear Of
the furniture store to prevent the
breaking through the walls of the feed
house. After $3.50 o'clock the fire
seemed to have spent its fiercest ef-
'orts and gradually thereafter the fire.
men were seen to get the better of ]
he fight. The gain was slow but none I
he less sure and by o'clock they had
he fire confined to the Cooper store
although it was seen to be completely Y
Quilted by the flames. and expect, for {
he stock carried on the third floor OF {
he Bissell feed house which suffered
rom heat and what smoke oozed into c
he building Is a total loss. What I
he fire left undone, water made sure J
f and between the two an immense ;
took of furniture and household 9
furnishings became too badly dam '
ged to be considered even worth much
8 salvage.
Prevented Spread.
All the hose available in the vari- T.
IS fire stations was put In commits u
on when the fire assumed its worst
;pect and the effect put forth to stem III
e spread of the flames was finally e
warded when it was found that no
e broke out in the adjoining .uild- 81 81
rs although smoke worked in and the u
at was intense. As is generally the
se in time Of great excitement, there ~
some one who finds time to think "
his neighbor. This was evident in :"
ore ways than one, but one instance
at met the hearty approval OF all who Al Al
w it was when William Black Az
ought pot filed with ice tea from e.
8 restaurant to supply the f1remen
It'll refreshment that would serve T.
tier than water, and this was CRATE
lily partaken of by the fire fighters. g.
1ere were numerous other instances
which willing hands from various an
cations in life disregarded good
othes and clean laundry and fell to W
tn will. in manner that had ef- 81
~ (~ht onf he Ne
Needed Ladders CT
The want of requisite means for III
aching the top floors of the build da
e had much to do with retarding the frt
ork of the firemen, .for unable to we
netrate the dense smoke that filled
e fourth floor of the building entry ca
the inside to the fire zone was an OF
possibility at the outset Of the fire. IN
Re fire was thus given chance OLD
hich when finally countered after
ard, proved too great handicap to Be
ercome without the loss that fol- pa
wed. Later during the progress Of -,
e fire it was found that the inability ~.
reach with any degree Of effective he
SIS the third floor necessitated some
cans for getting higher in the air g.
order to make more effective
ream on the fire as 1t ragged In the :
ird story, and a number Of willing
nds, headed by Chief of Police Joe
eman, hauled the trolley repair M
lyon of the Railway & Light COM or
ny for the aid of the firemen and ev
,unted on this a more effective fight ..
Is made on the fire in the third and 10
cond floors.
Remove the Powder. ~
The flame was not visible until the Ia,
e had ragged unchecked within the tn,
nth story of the building for half an lat
ur, and when the blaze finally pene- sh
tied the roof and broke out Of the =
per tier Of windows it was than tn,
ared the department would be un-
lie to stop it's spread and the nearby ;
ildings in the same block had but Ri