Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1915-01-14
S|0O.OO0.OO LOSS
Origin of Fire An UnSolved
Mystery-Flames Check
ed Within Two Hours,
Entirely Extiaguished
at 8 O'clock Sun
day Morning.

The most disa ,trous fire in the his
tory of Alma occurred at two o'clock
Sunday morning when the Pollasky
Block was damaged by fire to the ex-
tent of about S100,000-this amount
covering the loss to the building and
stores. That the building was not to-
tally destroyed is a miracle. The To-
cal fire department and st. Louis de-
partment deserve the highest praise
for their efficient work in checking
and subduing the flames.
Every occupant Of the building suf-
fered loss to some extent, but at the
present time, it is impossible to ac-
curately estimate just what the
amount it. Approximately it is about
100000, covered partially by insur-
ance.
Night Watch Oscar Vibber, discov-
cred the fire at about two o'clock Sun
day morning and an alarm was imme-
diately sent in. The department re-
sponded very promptly and proceed
ed to check the flames from spread
ing to the neighboring buildings.
Realizing that the fire was a very
serious one, call was sent to st.
Louis for help and the department of
that city arrived about an hour late.
Nine lines of hose were laid and the
firemen and bystanders, devoted their
time to removing the goods from the
stores and checking the flames.
Soon after the fire was discovered
the flames commenced coming
through the roof, then spreading to
the corner of State and Superior
street, to Rhodes drug store on the
first floor.
The work of the firemen, under the
direction of Chief Sartor was excel
control. However, the fire was not
totally extinct until eight o'clock Sun
day morning. Mrs. Sylvia Gaffney
served coffee TO the fire fighters.
The department was again called
out at II o'clock Sunday morning
to another blaze in the block. This
was not at all serious, the flames
breaking out in the ruins and were
Immediately subdued.
Where or how the fire started is an
unsolved mystery. A great deal of
credit should be given TO Oscar Vib-
Der, who discovered the flames. At the
time of the discovery the flames had
made such headway that if they had
not been placed in check Immediately,
the business section of the town would
without doubt be much smaller than
it is now.
d. w. Robinson moved great deal
of the stock in his store to the sam
pie rooms in the Wright House and
his other store. The goods were dam
aged by smoke and water. The loss
at this time cannot be estimated.
The stock and furnishings of Joseph
Cohen and brother suffered loss by
smoke and water, to the extent of
about $4,000, fully covered by insur-
ance. The goods were not removed
from this store.
The shoe stock Of A. r. Smith was
damaged by smoke and water The
loss is estimated at about $4,000, par
TALLY covered by insurance.
The exchange of the Union Tele-
phone company was absolutely de-
molshed and the switchboard, wires
and cables put out of use. This cut
Off all communication of the system
throughout the town. A temporary
structure has been installed over the
Journal Office and the toll line was
put in operation Monday evening.
Manager Melchers secured a switch
board from Owosso. A new switch
board was built in Chicago in forty
eight hours and all lines are expected
90 be open today. The work has been
very difficult, and 1t was necessary to
make two cutovers of 500 different
cables from the old building to the
new.
The books and furnishings of the
First Church of Christ, Scientist, were
damaged to the extent of about one
hundred dollars
G. V. Wright, the furniture dealer,
suffered little damage, the furniture
in the store was injured by smoke to
the extent of $3.50 to $500. The loss
was fully covered by insurance.
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