Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-03-31
$4,000 LOSS IN
SERIOUS FIRE AT
old kECUS HOME
Landmark of City is Scene of
Bad Blaze Starting From
Unknown Origin.
BREAKS OUT IN BASEMENT
Solder on Gas Pipe Melts Allowing
Gas to Escape-Property Fully
Insured.

The old NeSuS homestead, 1229 Sec
ond avenue, now used as an apart
ment house. was damaged to the eX-
tent of about $4,000. and the total
loss. including the furnishings. may
reach $4,000. as the result of a disas-
trous fire of mysterious origin this
morning.
The blaze was first discovered by
&. VI. Welch, one of the tenants, at
O'Clock this morning. He turned in
/ the alarm, and returning to the build
ing awoke the rest of the tenants.
What caused the fire will probably
never be known. The blaze started in
the basement. under the bedroom, in
the rear fiat on the west side.
When the firemen arrived the smoke
in the basement was so thick that they
were forced to fight the fire from the
outside, and they had the fire practi.
Cally under control in 80 minutes,
when the solder on the gas pipes near
the meter melted OFF. allowing the gas
to escape. The fire then started
afresh. climbing up through the par
titions in the center of the structure
with great rapidity. In less than 40
minutes the flames had reached the
roof. which was soon blazing fiercely.
The firemen were at a loss Just where
TO fight the fire. II seemed as though
there were five or six separate fires
in different parts of the building at
the same time. The blazes between
the partitions were difficult to get at,
owing to the smoke filled rooms. as
well as on the third floor. where
double ceiling and partitions bothered
the fire fighters greatly.
Hard to Fight.
The floor above the basement was
burned through in many places. and
as the flames crept up through the
partitions the firemen were obliged to |
chop numerous holes in the walls. /
Five lines of hose, which was practi- |
cally all the three companies had |
were laid, and thousands of gallons of |
water were thrown on the burning |
structure. Three lines of the hose |
were laid for a distance of a block.
and all ladders and available appar-
tus used. Chief G. w. Newberry
stated that it was one of the most diff
fcult blazes he had experienced.
Miss Augusta Hartz was still
in bed when the blaze started,
and in less than five minutes
her room was filled with smoke. fore
ing her to leave. However she had the
opportunity to return later and save
some of the belongings from the
water. Mr.. WEIGH, with the help of
several volunteers, removed most of
his furniture. Mr.. McNealy saved
many pieces of his furniture by low
sring il with ropes.
Most of the damage was confined to
the center and the front part of the
building. the rear being only damaged
by water. Much of the flooring and
he walls in the front will have to be
built. and several rooms on the
bird floor are completely Quilted. AL
though some of the furniture was
scorched. most of il was damaged by
he water. Nearly all of the windows
n the front part of the house we're
smashed in by tile fremen or broken
rom the heat.
The Negus homestead vas built
many years ago. and is one OF the
landmarks of the city Practically the
entire interior OF the structure will
rave to be rebuilt w o. Negus. the
owner. stated that the loss to the build
ng would in all probability reach SIS
100. which is entirely covered by in
urance.
The Losers.
Carl A. Hallgren. assistant secretary
# Weyerhaeuser & Denkmann. is the I
heaviest loser among the tenants. The
in the fiat we're valued at !
$500. two-thirds OF which was dam (
tged by water, and is insured.
The loss to the fiat of Miss Augusta (
Iartz will reach $1,000. including a
'iano. Most OF the damage on this
ide of the building was done by wa
er. Louis Sporting estimates his loss
4 $500. Both the Hartz and Sporting 1
osses are covered by insurance. Il
G. NJ. Welch. salesman for the I'LL
ois OH company, who lived on the
irst floor. saved most of his belong
ngs. $500 worth being damaged by
Gater. He carried no insurance.
The fiat OF Martin McNealy suffered ]