Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1921-05-12
Flames Originate From Unknown
Cause and Disastrous Blaze Is
Soon Under Way
DEPARTMENT RESPONDS
AND DOES QUICK WORK
Many Cars Have Tops and Uphol-
stering Burned Armory Con-
tents Badly Damaged
(From Fridays Daily

(F1OH Iludy aDohAyJ
| Between 2 and this morning
fire wrecked the garage owned by
Herman Mueller. One side of the
building, owned by Moeller brothers,
| is badly wrecked, the windows and
doors being largely destroyed, the
floor on the east side partly falling in
and interior blackened. The dancing
hall was not much damaged except for
the water and windows.
origin of Fire Unknown
The origin of the fire is not known
probably spontaneous combustion.
Joseph Smith sleeps in the armory
and about o'clock was awakened by
smoke. He came downstairs but
could see no blaze. Hurrying to the
Philbriek garage, open all night, he
told Hugo Martin and Elgene Stone
that something was wrong. They
found smoke in the Mueller garage
but could see no blaze. An alarm was
at once turned in and a telephone
message sent to the owner, Herman
Mueller The owner says he was on
the ground at least five minutes be-
fore the blaze burst out. He tried
to reach the part of the building which
seemed to be giving vent to the
smoke, carrying fire extinguisher
but could not on account of the dense
blackness In the meantime the fire
department had arrived and just be-
fore the water scame from the hose
the blaze broke, almost Ike an ex-
plCsion. The building was at once
filed with flames, the oils and other
Nnflamable materials burning fiercely
William Hurter was among the first
to arrive on the scene and drove sew
eral cars out of the building with the
tops aflame, while others assisted in
pushing the autos out, about 20 in all.
The tops were ablaze but the lower part
Of the floor was so persons could re-
main inside the building for a few
minutes. Car after car was run out
and this morning presented a sorry
sight as they extended along the
street for a block or more. On many
of them the tops are gone, the uphol-
steering ruined and the paint scorch-
ed. The lower parts of the cars are
but little damaged.
Floor Falls on Truck
A large truck on the east side Of the
building could not be run out and
part of the upper floor has fallen up
on it,
The tools used in the garage are
more or less damaged.
The office was badly scoached but
ali Of the records are saved. Tires
valued at about $500 are gone.
The property in the armory, belong
ing to the United States government
is badly damaged.
Insurance
Many Of those owning cars in the
garage carried insurance. There were
three new cars there belonging to Mr..
Mueller which were insured to with
in ten per cent of their value.
Moeller Brothers carried no insur-
ance on the buildings.
Clearing Away the Wreck
The task of clearing away the wreck
commenced early this morning and
: is being pushed rapidly. Mr.. Mueller
hopes to be ready for business as
usual in a short time.
/ This is the second garage fire with
in few months. The Feinberg blaze
last winter caused the loss of a build
. ing and several machines.
/ NOTES. ABOUT THE FIRE
There was a quantity of cartridges
about 10000 rounds in the armory but.
they did not go off.
Highway Policeman R. l.. Capener
had decided to purchase one OF the
cars in the garage but had not taken
it away The machine was slightly
damaged.
Attorney Norman Quale purchased
a car a few hours before the fire and
had run it into private garage in an
lpolice station where he is said D to
lhaye made a cOmn1efe confession be-