The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-08-20
Mondays Fire

Fires are peculiarly dangerous mis-
fortunes to any community, decidedly
lnsldious and misleading. The con-
migration which occurred Monday is
an object lesson, as view after there
nad been time for the walls to cool
and individuals have returned to
normal condition, uninf1uenced by the
curling OF flames, the cracking OF
burning timber and the other sensa-
tlonal Incidents connected with the
horrors of burning building, sur
rounded by other valuable property
filled with stocks and Implements.
After it is all over and sane in
spectton made there is shown the mar
row escapes made by the surrounding
buildings and neighboring blocks.
1t was bad enough as 1t was, but
might have been so much worse, in
consideration Of the solid facts as they
appear. There was much work done,
quick and efficient, by the firemen.
Their alertness in getting on the
ground and battling manfully and
courageously was an incident for
which the citizens feel proud and
grateful, for 1t was glorious victory
gained by our fremen against great
odds-the swapping of explosions and
the pouring out of gasoline to feed
the mad flames on which water had
reluctant effect. These were met
with courage and an intelligence
which gave honors to the combatants
and saved much property from serious
damage or total destruction. It re-
qufred hard work and cool judgment
In burning heat, but the work was
done and the judgment displayed, and
the firemen won the contest.
1t might have been worse, It is
said. The fire started as is stated
from the corner of Fifth street and
was threatening to destroy the large
building, used by many occupants and
industries, known as the Simpson
house. It is parceled out now for the
use of so many different Industries
that the old building has almost lost
its identity as whole. The fire was
inclined to work toward Sixth street
oAN CNSA ILL cdIcuSu 70 CLUBS Tie III
ley into the rear Of the buildings fac.
ing on Main street. It was feared
that the Estes house building on
Main street, one of the prominent
business blocks Of the city, would be
ignited so furiously did the flames
rage. The fire ate its way into the
rear OF the burning buildings and
yxyNv ad re Inc 3p<0 ha 10
warehouse, situated in the rear OF
several commercial and industrial
establishments. Between the main
fire and the corner of Sixth street.
toward which the fire was making it's
dangerous way, portion of this ex.
tensive warehouse was empty-that
portion which had been occupied as a
work shop by the Weber-Kirch com,
pany, who recently removed from the
building, and being cheaDly construct.
ed, from Fifth street. during an ex-
citing ire. a glance would very natur-
ally lead to the conclusion that there
was more valuable property In danger
than an empty warehouse, and the
attention was given to saving the
front buildings on Johnson street,
and watching that it did not cross the
alley to Main street.
The Dewitt factory occupies No.
5l7-19 Johnson street, the Rees Man
ufacturing company do business at
521 andxthe; Mcfarland Paper COM
pany occupies 523-25. This lightly
constructed warehouse extends in the
rear all these buildings. and the
fire was raging furiously through its
dry wallis. When it got to the shell
Of partition which separated It from
that occupied by the Rees company,
It Tapped its fiery tongue as If destruc-
ton was imminent. The partition was
only OF paper and glass and the glass
cracked down from the intense heat.
In the Rees enclosure there was stor-
ed a large quantity of box material,
labels and other material amounting
in the aggregate to at least $1,000 and
beyond this was the Mcfarland por-
ton Of the warehouse, filled with
large consignm ent OF various kinds Of
paper. Mcfarland occupies large
storing apartments in two other stor-
les above his main building.
Just in the nick Of time and while
the fiery tongue of the flames were
licking the frail partition in the ware
house occupied by the Rees company,
water came trickling down, the flames
gradually grew weaker and the force
OF the fire was spent and it did not
get into the Rees or Mcfarland apart
ments. Had It swept through that
partition, the fire would have gone,
no doubt, to the corner, as everything
in the two threatened warehouses
were filed with combustible material,
cigar box wood. labels and other
paper material in the Rees division.
while the Mcfarland division was
filled with printing and other paper