Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1920-11-09
RECENT RAINS PROVED
BLESSING TO FLAME
SWEPT SECTION
$4,000 IN DAMAGE
w j, STEVENSON BARN, TOGETH.
Err WITH VALUABLE CONTENTS
TACULAR CONFL FLAGRATION
LAST NIGHT.

fire which for time seriously
threatened q large residential district
east of State street and north Of
Center in South Ottawa destroyed
property approXilnating in value from
s. 000 to 10000 As it was, the large
barn and sheds of the W, j. Steven
son estate. located in the center Of
the block bounded by State. Van Bur
en-, Catherine and Center streets.
We're completely destroyed, together
with their contents.
Just where among the buildings the
fire had its origin and what caused It
is unknown The first intimation OF
conhagration was soon after 9
o'clock when b. G. Cooper discovered
the large structure in a mass Of
flames About the same time others
made tho same discovery and an
alarm was given, but the highly in
fammable character of the buildings
caused the flames to spread rapidly.
Before any assistance could be given
the fire. Under the force of stjff
breeze from the southwest, VAS
sending sparks aud irehrands high in
the air and dropping them upon the
houses along Catherine street and
beyond While it seemed an age be
fore the fire department arrived it
usually does the men made good
time and prevented serious damage
to the houses. During tho afternoon
there had been quite a rain fall and
this, undoubtedly, saved many homes
in that portion OF The city from de-
struction.
Tools and Ford Burned Up.
The buildings destroyed included
one 90 by l2b feet, which contained
the late Mr. Steyenson's house moy
ing machinery, which was considered
the most complete equipment OF its
kind in the country $l,l0o worth Of
large timbers, used for blocking mp
houses. was stored in the barn. Then
there was large barn, sheds for ma
Chinery and cribs, all we'll and sub
stantially built
Fortunately, there was on live stock
on the premises, Among the contents
was Ford car belonging to Chris
Stewart valued at $500, on which
there was no insurance,
Origin Is Unknown.
A stated the origin of The fire is
at present unknown, but as no one
was at home at the time, and as the
buildings were used more for storage
pu1 1poscs than otherwise and it isl
not known that any one had been
there for several days, it is strongly
surmiaed that it might have been
from the CarelessuesS of some indi-
vidual who had thrown a match
among some cOmbustibes within the
building or from boys playing with
matches.
The low lying clouds reflected the
fire light until the whole heavens
were aglow causing a scmidaEight-
ness all over the city. 1t was only
q ehort time following its discovery
that several hundred persons gather
ed to watch the progress Of the
flames.
Except for insurance of $500 on
buildings and contents carried by the
Warner & Hess agency the loss will
be total.
Return for More Hose
When the truck reached the scene
Of the conhagration and the depart
ment saw they We're UP against a
serious fight, the machine returned
to the station for more hose so con
nections could be made with distant
hydrants The return of the truck
caused many to think that the fire
men were just arriving on the scene
when the reverse was just the case
After the reinforcements arrived it
did not take the department LONG to
save the neighboring buildings from
further danger and at the same time
cxtinguish the leaping flames that
made of the ruins an inferno of sparks
and splitting tongues of fire,