Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-01-13

tho rest room on the second are water
soaked, the thick carpets, rugs, drap-
cries and furniture being thoroughly
wet. Dozens Of suits, coats and even
ing frocks hang in their cases, drip
ping water, and the sewing machines
and box cases are soaked. Practically
everything in the store is smirched
with smoke and the place has been
closed all day today.
Dr.. Hanseirs Office Soaked.
DR.. Hansell, who has an optical sup
ply and talking machine shop, over the
east half Of the Woolworth store is los
ing considerable by the fire. The
front part Of his place, where he has
his machines and his records, is not
greatly damaged but at the rear, where
he keeps all his expensive instruments
and his Office equipment IL swimming
in water today. While DR.. Hansell
does not know his loss In correct fig
ures, he places 1t between $1,000 and
1000. About . foot Of water cover
the entire rear part Of his place. and
1t has been continuously raining
there during the greater part of the
day. The big wall cases holding the
optical and eye testing instruments are
dripping and tho once desk with its
papers and books arc soggy.
Edmunds Had Goods Out
H. L. Edmunds. whose once Is d.
rectly in front Of Hansell's place did
not lose very much on his W private
office equipment. His desks, book
cases, tables and chairs as we'll as
several large ferns were removed but
put back this morning when 1t was
seen that the building would not 60
above, although q good part OF the low
err story was wrecked. Water has
been dripping through the roof and the
constant flow over the side of the ad-
joining, gaunt wall has caused consid-
cradle dampness in the place. Across
the hall from Mr.. Edmunds is the law
office of County Attorney r. X. Daugh-
erty and his partner, George l.. Gillies,
but no damage was done there. About
all the trace of q ire having been
in the building that is noticeable
In their place is the smell of smoke
which permeates everything. None OF
the books or filing cases were touch
ed by water.
Water In Fair Cellar.
The Fair store escaped without any
serious damage. There Is considerable
water in the cellar, a good part OF 1t
running in from of the roofs Of the ad.
joining buildings and from the rear
where it had backed up. c. c. Boose,
proprietor Of the store does not consid.
er his loss more than 5000 or $500 as
he had the greater part of his goods
packed high enough to be out Of the
reach Of the water which came into
the cellar. A little water has dripped
! through the ceiling at the rear of the
the front. The J. w. Neasham jewelry
store was not touched. not even any
water being noticed In the cellar to-
day.
Five and Ten Depleted.
The Woolworth five and ten cent
store presents a weird, depleted ap.
pearance today. The front part near
the east entrance is in it's normal con
dition, with all goods In their places
but the walls becoming more water
soaked toward the rear until the Of
flee Is reached and there destruction
OF. everything is found. On the west
side the entrance is blocked with
wreckage and near the middle where
the two main aisles join, the roof has
caved in and the broken, burned tim
bers have become so jumbled up with
the wet, soggy goods on the counters
beneath that the whole thing presents
a decidedly, messy appearance. r. r.
! Blake, the manager, Is at a loss to tell
what amount will cover the destruction
at their store. He says that at this
| time Of the year, when they have hard.
ly had time to check up their holiday
business and the stock is naturally
lighter than usual, 1t is difficult for
him to do more than estimate it.
Blake Nearly Struck.
Mr.. Blake had a very narrow escape
while 1T work in his store. 1t has
been the custom to keep the safe,
which is a small one, directly In front
of the door, and this was quickly haul
ed out as o as Mr.. Blake arrived
on the Gene which was shortly after
the fire was discovered. He went back
into the ONCE, at the extreme rear end
Of the store and had just taken some
valuable papers, receipts and invoice
] sheets, out of one Of the drawers and
picked up the telephone to call. when
} he heard the crash of the falling roof
coming. He dropped the phone and
ran toward the front just In time to
escape, being caught by the pile Of tim.
bers, bricks and debris which swamped
the office equipment and counters In
that part of the building. Everything
in the Woolworth cellar, is soaked