Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-22
WARD FIRE LOSS HEAVY.
Net Loss on House Estimated a.
$4,000 to $4,000,

One of the most destructive resi-
dence fires in the city in years was
that which practically destroyed the
a. L. Ward home. ll2 North Third
avenue, Thursday afternoon. The en-
tire roof and gables of the house we're
destroyed, and the fire. that spread in
the partitions and down betwe6n the
stuGding of the outer walls, set fire to
the walls and burned the houses in
everal different places as low down
as the foundation. The large quantity
of water that was used flooded the
whole interior. One Of the large chin
ncys tina fell in crushed thru the sec
floor. but was stopped by h first.
Another chimney fell. but it was stop
ped by the second floor. A third chin
ney stands, but a heavy wind may
Blow it over.
The owncr estimated today thai tho
house WIS worth $4,000. and he has
insurance Of $500 on it and 81, 500 on
the contents. "Thc latter insurance will
cover ali his loss on the contents, he
thinks. as practically all 'of the furni-
ture of the lower door was removed.
A great deal OF furniture in the second
floor and attic was not saved. There
Is salvage of building material in the
house. but getting it out will greatly
reduce the value of h material, and
20 rebuild the house will require that
il be torn down to the foundation.
Ward today did not know what he
would do regarding wrccking or re-
building.
The losses of the roomers, Mrs. Ell
len Mansfield. Dr.. +. x. Beller, Mr.. and
Mrs. w. 5. Benson, and Mr.. n Mrs.
Fred Stevenson, combined will be
small, and will consist mostly of wear
ing apparel. The furniture they used,
excepting some owned b., Mrs. Mans
field, belonged to Mr.. and Mrs. Ward.
The tenants combined losses will prob
ably not exceed 500 or 5000.
Mr.. Ward is of the opinion that the
fi~c originated frc:: electric light wires.
and that burning fragments dropped
! between the studding and set fire to
the lower portions of the walls II
partitions. The fact that the attic was
noorcd and the walls sealed with wood
| caused the fire to burn Sc fiercely in
the upper part of the house. Mr.. and
Mrs. Ward and family VIII move into
the /. O. Kemblc home in a day OF two
to occupy it during the absence. from
the city of Mr.. and Mrs. i>emble, who
Will leave for Los Angeles next week
to remain two or three months.
The house that was destroyed is one
of the old-timc residences of North
Third street. To more people of the
present day it is known as the Did
George Whitton home, but before the
Whittons occupied it 1t was the old DR..
Sears home.
The house was built in the early
'7Os by Ethan Allen, o brother of the
late Oscar Allen. In those days of in
expensive construction the house cost
81, coo, which made it a very preten-
tious home. Older people who re-
member the original house recall its
iiai ROOF, Il style an vcgue in those days.
In 1883 DIR. Reuben Sears bought the
1891 DIR. Sears sold it to George Whit
ton. who that year made extensive i'm :
provements to the interior, ~remodeling
it with new stairways and other gen
eral improvements. In 1886 MI. Whit
ton again remodeled the house. this
time rebuilding the roof on much the
same lines as the James Hanbel home,
corner First avenuc and Church. The
gables and gingerbread work" then sc
popular, made the roof itself cost Mr.
Whitton $500. At the time Mr.. Whit
ton sold the house to MI. Ward five
years ago next spring Mr. Whitton tad
an investment OF $4,000 in the dwelling
4 n I.