Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-01-14
TWO HOMES IN RUINS;
DYNAMITE FOUND
BURNING
AUTO IS DESTROYED
RESIDENCES OF MRS. ROSE AND
MRS. rhoRkllDsON ON EAST
MAIN STREET SET AeLAzg BY
BURNING FRAME GARAGE.

Three things stand out paramount
In the saving Of East Ottawa from
total destruction Saturday night
when fire OF mysterious origin des.
;royed $4,000 worth OF property at
the bones OF Mrs. Josephine Rose and
Mrs. Charlotte Thorkildson, both Oh
Main street.
One waa innocence.
The other was pure. unadul'eratcd
and undispu~.d luck. with 4 capital
H."
The third. OF course. IL he valiant
work OF the department
Devoid OF those features that stand
out above all else when Chief Joe
Hoissenln's men start IN 70 conqnc, in
sprm0,intablc odds al a serious con
ha2ration, the Saturday night blaz,'
ceased to be- considered serious when
II was learned the greatest part In
nocence and luck had played in the
fish;. Ignorance OF he presence o!
three boxes OF high powered dyna-
mite in spot where the flames were
attacking their hardest, saved he
entire east section OF the city from
being rocked into the river by the
dctona,ing reverbations OF an expo
sion such as that quantity OF stuff is
capable OF making
Attacking the boxes which they
described in their own statements az
containing Sizzling stuff the fire
men used their feet. axes and hands
to extinguish flames without any
knowledge that inside those cartons
was enough explosive 10 send hal
the city Of ottawa into kingdom CONF
IN the wink OF an eve Fur' 'hermort
no warning was given them Of the
contents OF the boxes Two wer'
picked up and thrown roughly out o.
the burning building The third was
aincst entirely consumed by fire. |
there had been an explosion the "a
tire city would have known and fel
Ii. The ilremen accuse someone o
letting them risk their lives withou
any knowledge Of the danger the,
ran, after the someone was askei
what the sizzling stuff was.
The garage, erected las, summe
between the Rose and Thorti)dso
houses, was entirely destroyed, alony
with new model REQ Linousn,
The flames spread quickly 10 til
west wing Of the Thorkildson TIVE
family house. A gale swept acros
the city from the southwest, fannin
the flames into intense fury tn
while. Roofs on both builings eo
lapsed while the liremen were brav
ly contending against the infuriate
elements and for while it looked a
though flames would be communica
cd to the V. J, Duncan beautiful res
dence and the Judge Eldredee HON
on the northeast corner of the bloc
Preparations were made by both thes
families to move out their valuahl,
In case the fire could not be gotte
under control. BY the time the fir
men had bested the flames the G
tire interior Of the Rose and Thork'l
son houses were being eaten ava
Water and smoke completed VIII
damage the fire was unable to do.
Starts in Garage.
The fire was first discovered in Il
two story frame garage. II had
start in the northeastern corner OF Il
structure and when discovered "
far, enough advanced TO make aayi
OF the automobile impossible,
First intlmation OF fire came rrc
boys who were passing on Ma
street, at 94j O'Clock. They cri
fire and alarms were sent in to hes
quarters. The auto truck was unal
10 penetrate the deep snow drifts a
two teams wero hitched TO the b.
wagon to get It through the next
irnpassable streets When the depa
men, arrived haste was made TO G
nee, three leads Of hose ~ u viii
Played On the doomed ch..i;ns for S