The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-04-26
FOUR FIRES IN BLOCK
CAUSE LOSS OF OVER
$106,000; THREE HURT
Opera House, Landmark
in Davenport, in Ruins;
Flee Apartments.

Five fires, all believed to havot
been of incendiary origin, occurring
within an hour and one-half In
Davenport las: night, caused a loss
estimated at 100000.
Four which occurred within .
radius of a block, practically de-
sucyed the Burtis opera house.
AIS Perry street, damaged three
story flat building. leveled tho
stock of a wholesale candy company
and threatened the Iowa Furniture
company, 324-2S Brady street
The fifth blaze occurred at tho.
Penn Stations Service building, 421
Fillmore street, about mile dis
tant, causing minor damage
Three members of the Davenport
fire department were injured when
the third story porch at tho rear
of the Jansen flats, Fifth and Perry
streets, collapsed. They fell 20 feet,
| Damage to the Burtis is estimat-'
ed at $4,000 by Manager Charles
klindt 1t was protected by $23,-
900 insurance. The building was
constructed in 1867. Manager
kindt says the theatre will be re-
built this year.
Alexander. the crystal gazer, who
last night began what was to have
been weeks engagement, incurred
a personal loss of $4,000.
The Jansen flats, a three story
brick structure, was damaged S.
900. Tenants lost $1,000 in per-
sonal effects. The building loss
is covered by insurance.
The $1,000 stock of Brewer T.
German, wholesale candy company,
i31S Pershing avenue. was de-
stroyed. 1t was covered by $500
Insurance. The building housing
the candy company was damaged
to the extent of $500.
The Iowa Furniture company in
CURED small damages to building.
Only small damage was done to
the Pen service station.
/ Waste Is Found.
4 Charred, oil-soaked waste found
on the floor Of the oil station and
the rear door Of the furniture
company lead authorities to the be-
lief that all the fires were work Of
a fire bug. There were many rum
ors of suspects having been arrest.
ed but at noon the police had not
taken anyone in custody. The en-
tire force is at work on the mys-'
terry. The police hope to prevent
possible repetition of the fires with
a probably greater damage through
arrest of the guilty party or parties,
before night.
Three fircmen were injured and a
fourth narrowly escaped when they
fell 80 feet to the ground from the
rear porch of the Jansen flats. Tho
injured:
George Cummings, ladder
nan, 1924 Harrison street, left
leg fractured; taken to Mercy
/ hospital.
: Hugo Moeller. driver OF
| chiefs car, 172 Harris street,
two ribs fractured. bruised.
Taken to his home.
Joe kelfrich, hoseman, 1914
/ bingham road, back
wrenched, head and body
bruised. Taken to Mercy tospi-
:, tai and later removed to his
home
Assistant Chief James Moser
clung to post as the porch
toppled and escaped with minor
/ scratches.
| The four were fighting the blaze
from the third story. The porch, Of
wooden structure, gave way.
First alarm was received at II: :S3
from the Iowa Furniture company.
The firemen found a blaze making
rapid headway at the rear door,
but extinguisned it with use OF
chemicals
Seven minutes later a call came
from the Jansen flats two blocks
east The south end of the rear
porch was a mass of flames. The
fire was traced to papers and rub
bish under the first porch floor.
At 12:43 and while firemen were
at the Jansen flats, a call came
from the candy company. The fire
was spreading from the center OF
the floor.
: Twenty minutes later, while the
departments were divided between
(Ccpfipuod IN d, On Eylnvou