Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-12-22
FIRE THURSDAY NIGHT.
A. ID. & p. A. Laboratory Threatened
With Destruction, But Firemen
Do Heroic Work and Stopped
Flames i'm Short Time.

! Last Thursday night at HAS o.
clock fire was discovered on the Sec
ond floor of the laboratory of the A
ID. & P. A. The fire was discovered
by Mr.. H. B. Winter, vice president
of the association. He had been to
meeting of the Elks and was on
his way to the Winneshiek Hotel,
where he is stopping. When passing
along Water street he glanced over
at the Meritol building and observed
a bright light on the second floor
where the labratory is located. AT
first he thought the chief chemist
was at work, as the company has been
compelled to work nights for some
time in order to fill the heavy orders
which have been coming in. But on
closer investigation it was discover
ed the building was on fire. Mr.. Win
ter had the fire alarm turned in and
it was only the matter of few min
utes before the fire companies had
streams of water playing on the
flames through the second floor win
dows, and in less than an hour the
flames were subdued. 1t is supposed
that the fire started among the chem
icals in the laboratory. The fire was
confined entirely to that floor. The
walls and ceiling were badly scortch-
ed by the flames, besides many OF
the chemicals and crude drugs be-
ing entirely consumed.
The firms private office is on the
same floor where the fire originated.
While no flames reached the office
the dense smoke did, and letters and
others papers which were in roll
top desk, which had the cover shut
down tight, were turned black, as IL
by a chemical process. The furniture
throughout the room was also more
or less damaged, but all the valuable
papers and books were not damaged.
which was very fortunate.
On the main floor of the building
there is a large amount OF surplus
stock of bottles, etc., stored, and the
third floor is confined to cartons,
boxes, shipping containers, etc. The
fire did not get into the third story,
but a small hole was burned in the
ceiling, the good work of the fire.
men combining the flames to the Sec
lond floor, and the officers of A. ID. q
p A. have extended words of praise
to the firemen for their excellent
work. Chief Olson is entitled to all
kinds of praise for the fine work he
and his men performed.
The Meritol company has been in
operation in DEBORAH for six years
and have built up tremendous
business, and sell goods as far east
as the Hudson River, New York, west
clear to the Pacific Coast and from
the Gulf of Mexico to Canada.
They manufacture over 600 medl-
cines and toilet preparations, such
as tonics, lotions, creams, cough and
cold remedies, paste, powders, salves,
ointments, household remedies OF
every kind. Each remedy is for a
specific purpose, no "cure-alls' being
tolerated. The A. d. & P. A. is one
of the few manufacturing concerns
who make it a point to make goods
with a conscience.
Besides the above remedies the
firm man features sixteen doors oil
perfumes in bulk, in pounds anu
half pounds. They put out 160 per-
fume packages and GA toilet waters.
Secretary l. w. Brunt states that
the fire will handicap them only for
few days, and it will not interfere
to any great extent with the continu-
alton of business. and it is expected
that shipments will be resumed this
week, as heavy orders have been
placed for all drugs, chemicals and
supplies of all kinds.