The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1916-05-12
HOLOCAUST
Most Disastrous in Over TWen
ty Years Visits CeliRa
GT lothian Garage and Several o ih-
er Buildings Burned-FOur
Horses Cremated.

Fire Of unknown origin, which started
about midnight Wednesday In the barr
at the rear OF the Grothjan garage, OF
Main street, just north of the city Hall
caused one OF the most disastrous fires
that has visited this city In Il number OF
years done property damage that viii
reach near $l5, 600 and for "A while threat
ened destruction to a number Of resi-
drnces north and east Of the burn
ed buildings. The flames We're famed by
a good wind which carried burning shing-
les clear TO the east end of town, and for
IA while caused much concern TO many re-
sidence owners, Charred pieces Of shin
giles were reported as far east Of town as
the Juneman club house
The heaviest losers were A. B. Groth-
jan q Son and Horseman Frank Miller,
the latter suffering the loss Of four fine
horses, valued at about $1,000, on which
he carried no insurance.
The blaze started in the barn, used by
Mr.. Miller to keep his horses in, at the
rear Of the Grothjan building and when
first discovered by Charles Ellis, had so
enveloped the barn that 1t was impossible
to reach the frantic horses. whose agoniz-
ed whining and paving rent the air.
ian building, now occupied as the Ford
garage, and years ago used as a carriage
paint shop. The structure, a large two
story frame, with oil and paint coated
floors and walls lent fury TO the fire, ana
was ablaze from top 10 bottom when Fire
Chief Weber and his crew began playing
water onto the burning mass, Several
small explosions OF gasoline IN the burn
ing automobiles caused added fury, which
was ClimaXed when the second floor OF the
garage building gave way and the over
land touring car Of r. NJ. Dull and paints
and yarnishes from the Coftit paint shop
dropped TO the ground, the gasoline tank
Of the Duh car at the same time exploding
with loud report.
The flames spread to the building oc-
Cupied by the StelZer marbel works across
the alley to the south and TO the barns at
the rear of the marbel works and on the
b. III Miller, IL. l.. Momingstar and Les
lie Loughridge properties, TO the east, the
two former barns being completely razed
Only by excellent work OF the fire depart
ment, assisted by volunteers, were the
flames gotten under control without burn
ing several residences on the north and
east and the store room of the Celina
Furniture Co. on the osuth.
Besides the loss of the Bodybuilding ana
barn the Grothjan's lost ten new Ford
automobiles, which haQ just been set up,
and one old one, in the garage for re-
pairs. Several machines We're pushed out
and most Of the supplies in the office were
saved. Their loss is estimated at between
$4,000 and $4,000, well covered by insuE-
Mr.. Stelzer suffered considerable dam
age to his building, but his princpak.loss
was in the destruction of marble monu-
ment slabs, one valued at several nun
dred dollars. He carried no insurance,
and his loss will be more than $500.
The Woeste Bros had three new bug
gies In the barn on the rear of the Stel-
ger property, which were completely des-
troyed entailing loss of about $780, with
no insurance.
The loss to the Loughridge and Morn
ingstar barns and the Ben Miller barn and
its contents, which included the old Ford
roadster, until recently driven by DR..
Schlenker, and other property, is well CO.
Otis Cohit suffered the loss of a large
quantity of paints and varnishes on which
he had no insurance. The Dull automo-
bile, which he had just finished painting
and had expected to deliver today was
insured.
The Celina Telephone company was hit
pretty hard by the blaze which burnt off |
three large lead cables, burned down a |
couple of poles and left mass of twist !
ed and tangled copper wire that Will take |
Many phones in the north and northeast
end of town We're put out of commission |
by the burning of the cables.
1t is probable that a new brick garage |
will replace the burned structure on the |
Grothjan property, while several days
time will see things well cleaned up i'm the |
rear lots. Mr.. StelZer had carpenters at |
work yesterday afternoon remodelling his |
building and said that his stone cutters |
would be back at work today. Ben Miller |
had cleaned up the most of the rubbish on |
ihs place last evening, and like work was
going on at Grothjans, Loughridge's ana |
the other destroyed buildings. The tele- |
phone company has a large force of men |
at work replacing the burned poles and |
will likely be able to replace there cables |
by the first of the week