Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-02
FIRE At GILMAN
DESTROYS STORES
PLETElY, INCLUDING BANK
OF GILMAN.
EXPLOSION OF GASOLINE
CAUSE OF THE DISASTER
Stove in Scaser Restaurant Fires
Building, and Spreads Flames to Al.
Joining Structures = Volunteers
Handicapped by Cold Weather. Wat.
er Freezing in Hoss-loss 5000.

4 $4,000 fire loss was sustained in
the total destruction Of three business
buildings a Gilman early this morning
when a gasoline stove in the restaurant
that building. and causing the flames
10 spread to the adjoining buildings to
the west. including the Bank of Gilman
owned by Charles H. Seager. The total
loss is estimated at $4,000. with insur-
ance Of $4,000
Al about o'clock Willard Scager
son of the owner Of the restaurant
! went to the building to make prepare
tons for serving breakfast. He filled
the generator Of the gasoline stove, and
then went to an adjoining room &c
shake down the hard coat burner.
Explosion Shakes Building.
Mr.. Seager had hardly more than got
out of the kitchen when terrific ex-
plosion resulted. Flames shot out In
every direction. and in an instant the
entire interior Of the kitchen was
ablaze The building. a one -etory
frame structure. was easy prey for the
flames. and the entire building was
soon a blazing mass Mr. Seager had
no time to attempt to save anything
further than get the books out Of the
building and carry out a few chairs.
Bank Building Goes.
The Seager restaurant stands at the
corner of Main and Church streets. and
from this building the fire spread to the
one story frame building occupied by
the Bank Of Gilman. Just west OF the
restaurant on Church street. The pank
building burned like finder. and was
soon a mass of ruins. Only the con
tents Of the vault. which included all
hooks, valuable papers. and cash. were
saved
Shoe Store Next in Path.
Next in the path OF the flames was
the Frank Wynn building. also frame
structure and smaller than the other
two occupied by James Novak win
a shoe stock. The building was de-
.+roved but most of the stock was
saved
Volunteers Handicapped in Fight.
In fighting the fire the volunteers
who included practically every avail
ah,e able bodied man in town. were
greatly handicapped owing to the Sc.
we're weather. With the mercury around
"a below zero water in the hose froze
several times. and the fire fighters mad
70 rely much of the time on buckets
The postofHce building caught hre
once but this blaze was extinsuisheo
without: damage to the building or Its
contents.
Mayor Frank Ensminger whose i'm
piement store is situated next to the
Sovak store. moved his stock out OF the
building for fear Of the fire not being
checked at the Wynn building. The
Ensminger store however. was not
dana ged.
Restaurant Loss Covered.
Altho Mrs Seager sustained the
heaviest damage. she will probably suf-
fer the least loss. owing TO insurance
on both her building and stock. Mrs
eager's loss is estimated at $4,000
fully covered by insurance. The bank
carried no insurance and its loss i.
estimated at $1,000. The loss on the
Wynn building is small estimated at
$3.50. with no insurance. James Novak
tenant in the building, will not lose
over 800 on his stock, in water and
smoke damage Novak carried no in
surance