The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1920-12-07
Fire Which was Discovered at Two
O'Clock This Morning Completely
Destroys Fine Resi-.
dence.
HAVE NARROW ESCAPE
Judge and Mrs. Craig Manage TO Get
Out Of the House, But are I'm
able to Save Their Be-
Ionginos.

The residence of Judge John r.
Craig, 208 Fulton street, was totally
destroyed by fire, which broke out at
two o'clock this morning. Mrs. Craig
discovered the blaze, and she and the
judge fortunately were able to make
their escape from their rooms up.
stairs, but they failed to save any
thing IN the way of clothing, furni.
ture, bed clothing or valuables. They
escaped from the blazing furnace into
which their rooms had been turned
only partially clad.
The fire started in the rear of the
residence, and upstairs, and for that
reason it is believed to have been
caused from electric wires. There
are no cracks in the f1ues and the
fire was not centered in any way
about the chimneys. 1t seemed to
follow the wiring.
Mrs. Craig discovered the fire just
before two o'clock. She aroused the
judge, and together they were able to
grab up only a hand full of personal
belongings and run down stairs. They
consider they were lucky to get out of
the house without accident. Their
flight was so hurried that the Judge
was unable to recover his watch,
which was on dresser in the room
in which he was sleeping.
Judge Craig said this morning that
he returned home from the district
meeting and banquet of the Knights of
Pythias about one o'clock, and that
he fell asleep almost at once. Mrs.
Craig did not retire until about the
same time, and for some reason was
unable to go to sleep at once. She
was aroused by the glare of the
flames, and saw they were enveloping
the rear OF the house, and the room
where her husband was sleeping.
Spreads in Great Waves
BY the time the Craigs' made their
escape, the flames had spread over
the entire house, and before they
could be checked the house was gut
ted. The ceiling of rooms were be-
ginning to crack and fall before they
could get out Of the house. The
flames seemed to roll in great pillows
like waves, and before any one knew
it, had spread clear over to the east
side of the dwelling.
The first alarm was turned in at
1850 o'clock, and general alarm fol-
lowed at two o'clock. The hremen
from every station responded, and
every bit of apparatus possible was
on the scene. Three lines OF hose
were run.
Finding the fire in the Craig home
was not to be subdued, the hremen
bent their efforts to keeping the
flames from spreading to the home
of w. G. Blood, next door. large
barn on the alley and several garages
nearby were threatened. The Blood
house was saved, except for the bis
tering of paint ON the side nearest the
blazing pile.
Neighbors managed to save some OF
the furniture from the living room
downstairs, but it was a small hand-
full compared with the amount OF line
furniture that there was in the mouse.
The loss on both house and furniture
was practically total. Insurance was
carried, but it will not cover the loss.
Judge and Mrs. Craig and Mrs. }.
C. Hubinger. roomer IN the mouse,
were taken Immediately into
the home Of Mr.. and Mrs.
w. G.. Blood, next door. Mr.. and
Mrs. John S. Sprowls, who live In the
house, also, were not home, as Mrs.
Sprowls had just came back from the
hospital and was at the home OF her
parents.
Only Walls Standing.
Only the walls are standing TINS
morning to mark the location or one
of the prettiest and most comtortaple
residences in Keokuk. The mousse
stands at the top Of high terrace !
commanding view of the river, pow
er plant, lock and forebay. 1t has
been one of the most hospitable homes
of Keokuk, and one that has always |
commanded attention of visitors.
This morning the walls are standing.
while the roof and ceilings of the