The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-10-13
Origin on Second Floor in
Rear Is UnknOWn-Men
Save Books.
]. A. RIGDON, OWNER,
SAYS WILL REBUILD
New Plant Will Be on Sprigg
Street-None Was
Injured.

floor, last night resulted IN the com.
plete destruction of the Cape City
Steam Laundry, at Is South AQuams
street. The fire caused loss of ap,
proximateIy $1,000.
The embers were not dead after the
flames had completely Quilted the
place, before J. A. Rigdon, manager
and proprietor of the laundry, an
nounced plans for the erection Of a
nov Laundry plant on Sprigg street,
to be ready for occupancy by Febru-
airy 1. Mr.. Rigdon last night said
that arrangements will be made today
10 operate his wagons and he will take
care of the city's trade by having the
work done outside of the Cape.
The fire first was seen about 9
o'clock. Owing to the location of the
blaze at the start being in the rear
and on the second floor, it was not
noticed by anyone on Main or indie
pcndcnce street, although many per-
IONS passed the corner at Main and
Independence within a stones throw
Of the fire.
The first alarm was given when Ber-
tina Vogt, a daughter of F. w. VOgt,
tinnar who resides on South Spanish
street and in the rear of the laundry,
saw the flames from her home. She
ran down the rear steps and summoned
John Doyle, who was on duty at the
J. l.. Miller bar. He sounded a fire
alarm, and by the time that the fire
department arrived at the scene. the
flames had gained a Roadway that
could not be overcome.
The front door had to be broken
down to gain an entrance there and
some of the fremen and persons who
aided them, succeeded in saving a part
of the equipment from the laundry of
flee. A typewriter, adding machine,
and filing cabinet were taken out of
the office as well as virtually all the
account books of the laundry.
BY the time that the Office equip
ment had been carried out, it was i'm
possible to withstand the flames in
side the building and the fire soon re-
duced the entire inside of the struc-
ture to ashes.
The stuff that was saved was locked
into box car nearby. Mr.. Rigdon last
night said that as near as he can es
innate the damage to the laundry
property, it will amount to $500. He
said that ne had just received large
supply of soap and wrapping paper
which boosted his loss considerable. He
had his property covered with $4,000
insurance. The insurance policy car
ries a 80 per cent clause, he said,
which provides that in the event Of a
fire and total destruction, he may re-
cover but 80 per cent of the face value
Of the policy.
The laundry was filled with work
from all parts of the Cape as well as
shipments from various small towns
near here. Yesterday a large basket
of laundry to be handled was received
from Thebes, ILL.,, as well as one from
ClarktOn. st. Vinccnt's College had
about 600 pieces in the building which
were TO have been delivered today, and
600 pieces were delivered yesterday.
There were hundreds of pieces that
belong to private families in the Cape
Mr.. RigdOn declared that he was one
of the last to leave the building last
night before closing. Just as he de-
parted, he said, he pulled switch
that cuts off the electric power in the
building at the Office. He said that he
was convinced that no gas jets had
been left burning.
The building is owned by Herman
Boch.
The laundry has payroll of II men
and women, and about 40 persons are
dependent upon its work. Steps will
be taken to keep them employed in
taking care of the laundry business un-
til the company may get into its new
plant, the construction of which will
be rushed.
The new plant will be located be,
tween Themis and independence
streets on Sprigg. The architects ant
contractors were to have started the
work next week.
Mr.. Rigdon acquired the laundry
from J. H. Mcpherson, former pres,
ident of the Commercial Club. He
has been in the Cape for severa
months and now resides at 1t47 Broad.