The Holbrook news., 1919-01-03
Midnight Fire Causes
 Big Properly Loss
The w. B. Woods Building Oc cupied by the Toggery Shop and Telephone Exchange
 Destroyed bg Fire.


 nesday night fire was discovered in the Toggery Shop, in the W. B. Woods building east of the Pastime Theater.
 The discovery was made by Government Telegraph Operator Davis. who was working in his office in the rear of the building. When noticed by Mir. Davis, flames were issuing through the floor about the center of the room occupied by the Toggery Shop. An alarm was given and very soon a large number of people were on the scene to rem der any assistance possible.
 The facilities for fighting fire in Holbrook are practically nil. The town owns a hose, and it has been presumed that this hose could be attached to the railroad water tank. Wednesday night when an attempt was made to connect with the nozzle at the tank 1t was found that the hose did not fit the nozzle. In conse- Quenee no water could be secured with which to combat the fire. Fortunately the building in which the fire started was brick, and the fight was waged to confine the flames to this building. This was successfully done, and no other buildings. wit the excep- tion of the Fl. H. Scorse building on the west was damaged. The Scorse building was wreckad by the fre-6ghters in an effort to prevent it catching fire and en- dangerinR the WetzIer building adjoining it on the east.
 The stock of mems furnishing goods in the Toggery Shop was totally destroyed; the loss on this is about S2O, GOO. with an in- suranee of S1O, GOO. This busi- ness is owned by L. Caldwell Co.,, the company being composed of L. Caldwell and J. c. PaulseIl.
 The loss by the telephone company and Postal Telegraph Co.,. is practically total. Two typewriters were the only things saved by the telephone company. The building is owned by W. B. Woods, manager of the telephone company. It was insured for $2, Mr. Woods informs the News that he will rebuild.
 A d dangerous fire like that of Wednesday night, often causes people to do foolish things. Some persons smashed in the front of Judge Crosby's office building, two doors west of the: burning building. and the resi- dence of Mrs. M. A. Grouse. The contents were carried into the street; neither of these buildings was in much danger. they being protected by the Pastime Thea ter building.
 Nearly all of the stock of dry goods and shoes in the HoIbrook Mercantile Co, store was carried into the street. This was unnecessary as was later proven. The fixtures in the W. ". Franklin barber shop were removed to the street from the Scorse building. This build ing was wrecked beyond repair bY the fire-fghters to prevent the fire spreading to the WetzIer building.
 The lower part of the Wetzler building is occupied by the Hol- brook State Bank, and the upper apartments by Ralph Abounader and family. Everything port able in the banking room was rsmoyed, and many of the house hold goods in the Abounader apartments were carried out.
 If negotiations which have been in progres for several days. are satisfactorily closed, the Toggery Shop will reopen in a l short time in a building near the cid location which will be owned by Mr. Caldwell, senior member of the L. Caldwell Go. The tele- phone company will resume op- erations as soon as new equIp- ment can be secured and install ed in a new location
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