Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-12-21
MARROW ESCAPE FROM TOTAL
DESTRUCTION IN EARLY SUM-
DAY MORNING BLAZE.
DISCOVERED IN TIME TO
KEEP DAMAGE TO MINIMUM
Mrs. J. w. PurseI Hears Breaking
Glass, Finds Flames Bursting From
press Room Windows, and Notihes
o.oartment-Ne Delay to Issuance
Of Newspaper.

What threatened 10 pto'
,-o,s fire was averted shortly after
o'clock Sunday morning when prompt
work on the part Of the fire depart
ran- saved the Times Republican
plant from being completely Quilted.
That the fire department was able
TO do It's work before the ire had
gained great Roadway was due TO Mrs
]. w. Pursel. il South Center street.
directly opposite the T.-R. building.
Mrs. Pursel heard the cracking OF
glass from her bedroom, Went 10 the
window 10 investigate, found flames
bursting out from the press room WIN
dows. and notified the department ana
members of the T.-R. force
Basement in Flames.
The entire front end Of the base
,oant where the press room is situated.
was in flames when the department
arrived. but without throwing much
water. and by the use Of chemicals, the
bIaze was soon under control. Chief
Kirby's familiarity with the basement,
and its machinery. aided in holding
down the loss TO machinery by water
$1,000
press room. was on the ground early,
and assisted materially in the work of
protecting the machinery from need
less damage.
Firemen Work in Dark.
Because the electric wiring had been
burned away the dremen were com
PEELED to work in the dark. Search
lights were practically Of no value, SO
dense was the smoke, and lantern
held out at arms length was not dis
tinguishable The entire building was
soon filed with smoke, and II was with
difficulty that access to the rooms was
gained in order to open windows and
minimize the smoke damage on the
two floors above.
Mice May Have Been Responsible.
While it is not known for certainty
what caused the fire, II IS possible that
mice and matches were responsible.
From all appearances the fire had its
origin in zinc covered cabinet n
which were stored matrices. tools, and
accessories of the stereotyping depart
ment. 1t is known that II the case
was kept a small supply Of matches.
The case was set under the stairway
leading from the press room into the
business office, and not far from the
elevator shaft that extends to the top
floor of the building. This afforded
two places for the fire TO spread 70 the
upper floors had it got much more Of
a start, and had it reached the elevator
shaft the chances are the building
would have been doomed. AS i was
the ceiling OF the press room was all
charred and blistered. the betting oper-
at,ng different pieces Of machinery
either burned or ruined by neat, rollers
on the big perfecting press were
melted. and every window in the base
ment was cracked. so intense was the
heat. Two or three times, even after
the fire was under control. tiny places
were observed where incipent blazes
were eating their way thru the floor 81
the business office above.
Damage Under $1,000.
While II viii be impossible 70 know
Just how much damage the heat die
20 machinery until after the machine:
have been tested thoroughly. il is be.
lieved that the total damage will no
be over $500 to $1,000
In the composing room, which con
,a.ns the five linotype machines, Hhicf
are very sensitive to the cumming in
fuence OF smoke, & IS &c: heliever
there is any loss further than the tim'
it required Sunday TO get the machine!
In shape.
The damage to the building VIII re
quire a new ceiling and Dasemen
stairway. and the repapering Of thA =.
terror OF the building. the walls o
which are all smoke begrimmed- tn
building Is owned by George ". Nc
Nelly. who Is now in California Ta'
losses to both building and content.
are fully protected by insurance.
Ready to Run at 2 O'clock.
II It had been necessary Sunday If
ternoon to have issued an extra paper
me T.-R- would have been ready TO
business at o'clock BY that time "
F. Long. linotype machinist. had gon
over all OF the machines, cleaned tn
mats and their channels, and had t1en
in shape to operate; the electrician
had completed installing new wirin
for both light and power; the pres
was in readiness for operation.
Only the fact that the fremen yer
careful in throwing water made hi
possible. however. and while wate
stood Two or three inches deep !
places on the press room floor, onl
the merest spray touched the big ma
chinery Fortunately. too, the fire di
not reach the stock room, where tiler
was reserve stock of about car loa
Of print paper on hand. Scarcely
drop OF water entered the stock room
and no paper was damaged.
Marshall Printing Company Escaped
The Marshall Printing Conpan,
which occupies the south half Of II
building escaped any damage. even /
water. according to George w. GiIber
secretary of the company . The Ma,
shall Printing Company's offices hs
some smoke. but 1t was not nearly :
dense as 1t was directly above the sc;
Of the fire. where it was carried up l
the elevator shaft.