Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-12-11
COMMUNITY CALAMITIESI
FIFTEEN DUMB ANIMALS PER-
ISH IN BUS BARN FIRE
Old Business Landmark Prey of Fiery
Elements---Viroqua Suffers Two
Destructive Night Sweeps

Coming timex and IaSt, destructive
and agonizing, is the fire record in vi
roqua the week last past. Within sew
enty hours two CONGREGATIONS were Wis
tied upon US that burned fifteen dumb
beasts and made waste of the draw and
bus buildings equipment, of E H Officer
creating monetary loss of 50, 200, and
destruction of the Tate business block.
involving q financial sacrifice of 1000
to $4,000 They are both severe loss
es TO the owpers and the town. Parti
al insurance only was carried by the
two principal losers.
Soon after midnight of Thursday,
Officers barn was discovered on fire,
originating in the hay loft, spreading
with such fierceness that no human
power could rescue the thirteen horses
and span of mules sheltered in the
building, together with all the harness,
winters stock of feed, four buses. all
sleds used in the business and other
equipment. Mr.. Officer carried insur.
ance of So, 800, and he estimates his net
loss at SIS, 900 on buildings and personal
property. He is not discouraged, but
thankful indeed that it is no worse, the
cremation of his faithful animals being
the great regret in his case. He APP
preciates the efforts of friends at this
time and will aim to rebuild better than
ever. He was early on TIE Job, with
his helpers, the morning followiug fire.
neighbors and friends loaning him four
good teams to work with.
The second fire came at two O'Clock
Monday morning, wiping from view a
business landmark of Viroqua, the Tate
l l. -. - =
since 1856, built by Ad Clark. 1t had
been thoroughly remodeled by owner
) Henry Tate at different times till
quite modern except the exterior. Oc-
cupants of the burned block were the
Comet Theatre, owned by j Naser,
| Jeweler S B. Lillis, Lawrence Bigley's
barber shop. and Bailey's restaurant.
! Early discovery of the fire in rear
portion of the building made it possible
| for all these tenants TO remove their
1 equipment except in the theatre, where
seats, a piano and other fixtures went.
| The loss to these is little, all being in
snred Mr. Tate carried indemnity of
! 50 800, his loss being about one-half
covered. The vacancy creates no
| Viceable hole in the center of town, but
the land and location are too valuable
TO long lie dormant. That the flames
were confined to this one building, stud
ded as it was in the very heart OF the
| business section, is creditable to the
| fire department. The aspect was
threatening and every precaution ana
effort was used to prevent spreading of
| flames. which leaped high and were
| famed by a stiff west breeze.
Goods were damaredin adjoining BUSH
ness places; Miss Br1ezowsky's mill
merry stock, Sanwick's clothing and
Johnson'l drug stores and some to the
Leader Office by removal of material.
Otherc Eiso repsrt damage frotns .aoke.
A plate glass was cracked across street
| in Mullen's meat market. Others in
! that row protected fronts by standing
boards against the buildings. Brick
walls in the Jerman and Dahl blocks
on either side of the burned building,
withstood the heat well, and are appar-
emily little damaged.
But for rain falls and light snow pre-
ceding these, fire damage must have
resulted, for great embers were carried
to all parts of the city. In each in
stance the firemen worked heroically in
| the almost zero weather with a stiff
| breeze blowing. Both catastrophies
are surrounded by uncertainty as tothe
real cause.
The burned out have re-established
as follows: Mr.Officer's headquarters
are in the old Park hotel barn; S. B.
kLillis back where BE- commenced bust
ness in the Brown block, Lawrence
Bigley's barber shop 10 basement of
Hotel Fortney, his former quarters.
Mr. Bailey has not yet found suitable
quarters in whicil to restore his restau-
rant work,