Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-09
LOSS IN CEDAR RAPIDS BUSINESS
BLOCK FIRE ALMOST
TOTAL.
AIR SHAFT ACTS AS
DUCT FOR FLAMES
Guests From Adjacent Hotel Compel.
ed to Flee-Laree Concerns on First
Floor Heavily Stocked With Christ
mas Goods-o~ners to Erect Modern
Building on Site.

Cedar Rapids. Dec. s.-An estimated
loss OF rs GOO was placed on the Kim :
ball building and its contents by f. i
Safely when il was seen that salvage
from the ruined structure would total
but a small amount. Mr.. Safely, who
is the agent for the building. was IN
able. however. either to detail the losses
or estimate the insurance carried b.
the various tenants. AS all OF the
policies and records held by me ot-
cupants OF the building have either
been destroyed or are locked III the
vaults buried by debris. complete
statement will not be available until
operatives of the Western Adjustment
company have completed their WORK
on the field.
Fix Origin Of Fire.
Investigation bv public safety 0t
uar.ment heads has fixed the origin u
the fire in the areaway in the rear O.
trhe Fraser drug store. This shaft.
which extends to the top oi the build
ing. acted as an air duct for the blaz.
and permitted it 70 communicate WIN
All of the four floors in an instant.
This was the situation when Walter
Pepmeyer, driver OF mail wagon
came out of the postoftice at Low d.
m He saw smoke issuing from the
fourth floor and at once ran 10 the
4. Western Union office where an alarm
was telephoned 10 the Contra! statloh'
BY the time the companies were on the
scene the air shaft was a furnace anu
the finder finishings Of the ancleh1
building were blazing tiercely.
Hotel Guests Seamper.
But for the lack OF a patty wall, the
fire would have undoubtedly spread
TO the adjoining block 10 the west. the
upper floors of which are occupied oE
the Globe Hotel. Facing this posi-
bility. the management Of the hotel
aroused every guest in the building
and caused them to fee TO the street
many leaving their rooms scanul!
clad. The Waterhouse block, north
of the burning building, was also
threatened. but at a. m Chief Mohr-
hacker announced that his men would
be able to confine the flames TO the
kimball block.
Meantime tenants Of the building had
been notified OF the fire by telephone
and were quickly on the scene. to sal
wage their establishments II possible.
Their efforts were unavailins. however,
save in the case OF the employees OF the
American Express Company. As soon
as news OF the fire was received DE
c. L. Meyer, agent of the company,
an automobile was hurried!y dispatched
TO round up every employe and this
force was able to save everything OF
value from the company offices on the
first floor Mrs. Meyer, wife of the
agent came to the fire with her hus-
band and efficiently directed the work
of the men.
Stocked With Christmas Goods.
Occupying the first floor with the ex-
press company and the Fraser drug
store, were three mercantile establish
nents-the Grant E. Reynolds ladies'
wear house, the Boyson jewelry COM
pany and the NJ. VI. Thompson haber-
dashery shop. All were heavily stocked
with Christmas goods recently re-
ceived. and here the heaviest losses
were incurred. The Reynolds and Boy
son rooms We're completely Quilted and
practically the entire stocks were de-
stroyed by fire. Thompson's stock suf-
fered less fire damage because Of a
fire wall between it and the BoysoA
store.
A handsome new bank and office
building is 10 be erected on the site
Of the kImball building. This action
was decided on by the board Of direc-
tors Of the Merchants National Ba-1t
at a meeting at II a. III. yesterday
The decision was unanimous.
Architects will be consulted immedi
ately, plans will be drawn and the
work Of removing the present walls
will be begun just as soon as adjusters
settle the insurance.