Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1918-04-25

with flaming sparks or bla
through the valiant efforts of
by volunteers that the flames
CRY rush toward other struct
The cause of the fire is thought to
have been spontaneous combustion in
a store room in the rear of the hotel
building. Two suspicious characters
were seen leaving the building shortly
after the alarm of fire had been turn
ed in, but search failed to locate
them. This leads to the theory it
might be an incendiary fire. The
block in which the Ringo was loeat-l
ed has suffered four serious fires
within the past year: The Casey
Pharmacy, the Mexico Music Co. and
Grossman's Store, the Creasey build
ing and the Ringo fire.
From 2:45 Friday morning, when
the alarm Of fire was turned in until
practically noon Friday water was
poured into the blazing debris. The
firemen pulled doYn all the walls Of
the hotel which were adjacent to the
streets early Friday morning, so that
no one would be endangered by their
| falling. Ten streams were utilized
by the fire department to gain con-
troll Of the blaze and it was only after
the hardest fighting that any head
way was made.
Property owners on Washington
| street, in the buildings where the
sparks were falling thickest, remov
ed part Of their stocks. The stock Of
the Worrell Jewelry Co., the larges
in the block, was for the greater par
removed by volunteers who remainet
in the building aiding Mr., Worrell ant
his clerks in removing the valuable
goods and pianos until the uppe
floors of the hotel began to fall AM
made entrance in the store rooms un
safe.
Chas. Jennings, 60 years old, tn
negro fireman at the Ringo is tn
hero of the fire. 1t was he who frs
discovered the blaze and turned in tn
warning to the guests. Jenning
saws that he was aroused from HI
sleep by the smell of smoke and tn
cracking of burning timber VINE
, he opened the door of his room in tn
rear of the building, he found the hall
way outside in flames. He was a
one time a miner and his knowledg
cleaned in this occupation came
: rood stead at this time. He droppe
to the floor, where there was lltt
! smoke and crawled to safety throug
. the fire. His hair was burned OIL
n he made his way across the burnln
q hallway. He then ran to the OIL
and notified Night Clerk Ralph Nu
of the fire. Null, rushed to the eli
: hall and turned in the alarm whl
' Jennings went through the not
, arousing the guests. r. A. Bradl'
y and J. w. Woodbridge, who live at u
= hotel, say they know they owe the
a lives to Jennings warning.
= E. R. Locke, of the Mexico Pow
!, Co. said about one-third OF the
- water supply in the basins was US
: in the fire Friday morning. In
had sufficient on hand to fight thr
=, more such fires had they develope
: The hose of the A. P, Green Fl
- Rrick Co. and the International sn
i Plant of this city were requlsltlon
~ bv the local fire department to AID
;. fighting the blaze Friday morning
! R. D. Worrell, Of the Worrell 9e
= elry Company, recently took out .
:. oO0 more insurance on his stock
Judge Alex Carter, whose wlte
- one Of the owners of the Ringo Ho
:. favors the organization Of a ST.
''' company of citizens for the rebu
:. inc of this popular hostelry' JuG
:, - Garter says that his wife will taxi
large block of stock in the new en'
rrise. and while he has outlined
nlans. believes that it will be gen
allv supported by the citizens
Mrs. S. T. Torreyson, wife OF 20
~ Assessor Torreyson, sprained
nee ankle Friday morning while atte
of inc the fire. While the injury
OO. painful, it is in no way serious
70. The dining room girls of the Ri
Hotel roomod on the fourth floor
the building and were among the l
ed 70 leave. They used the fire esc'
ere and saved very few of their oelO
ed invs. One or two were still wea'
Mr.. their night clothes when they Fea'
the street.
Mayor j. F. Harrison d. assisted l'
firemen in efficiently flghting
Try fire, and did excellent work IN on
Oul- ing the streams so that the sp' P
orth or the flames was halted before fu
hey or damage was DONE
rect About AIS o'clock Friday NOR
tbe roof of the Odd Fellows
-, = smouldered from the sparks " "
had been blown to it from the II