Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1921-09-15
CONCESSIONS LOSE
LARGE SUM DURING
NIGHT OF TERROR
MANY OWNERS LEFT WITHOUT
MONEY OR STAND AS THEY
WATCH THE FLAMES EAT UP
THEIR BELONGINGS AND MON
EY.

A reign of terror gripped fair fol-
lowers today, in face Of the fire
which destroyed the buildings on the
La Sale county fair grounds last
night. Several weeks ago, the amphi-
theater at Kankakee was destroyed
by fire and two years ago the Streator
buildings were destroyed by a blaze
which is supposed to have started
of an incendiary nature.
A comradeship prevailed at the
grounds, among the concession own
ers, many of who had lost their all
and were practically penniless. The
losses to the exhibitors and the con
cession owners were extremely heavy
and was practically all uninsured.
Rough estimates today placed the
losses Of the exhibitors and conces-
sion owners at about $4,000.
Exhibitors Loss Heavy.
One of the heaviest losers was K.
A. Chamberlin OF Streator, who had
Delco lighting system on, display in
a booth underneath the grand stand.
Mr.. Chamberlin lost property valued
at $1,000 which consisted of a COM
plete lighting plant, a complete water
system, an electric washing machine,
De Laval separators, a power stand,
and furniture.
The Judd Washington Machine Co.
of Chicago suffered a loss Of about
5000, a vacuum washer being on dis
play in their booth.
The Metropolitan Life Insurance
Co, the La Sale county tuberculosis
society, the Hamilton-Vincent Co. and
Ottawa Chamber of Commerce, and
the United Grain Growers society
lost the furniture, literature and dis
plays in their booths valued at sew
eral thousand dollars
Cigars Burned.
Charles Grover had completely
equipped cigar stand under the grand
stand. which contained several hun
dred dollars worth Of cigars and to-
bacco. This was entirely destroyed.
at loss of $1,000.
The vegetable display, which was
in charge of Henry Schmidt, was en-
tirely destroyed. Fruits and vegeta-
bles valued in the neighborhood of
81 900 were on exhibit here.
The concession owners, most Of
whom were routed from their beds,
and did not have time to get only par
TALLY dressed before fleeing the
flames, were pathetic sight. Prac-
tically all the concession owners slept
on beds in their tents. Those who
had saved clothing and money from
the flames shared with the others.
Not Even Breakfast.
One man was seen today crying in
front of a pile of ashes that last
night had been his tent.
Il amt even got enough left to buy
my breakfast" he explained to some
one who inquired the cause of the
tears. Several bystanders offered to
advance the price of breakfast to the
man, but found him not only lacking
funds. but lacking an appetite
Hal Graham of Chicago, one leg
ged man, lost everything he owned,
small pop corn machine, valued at
about 5000 and a cupie and blanket
stand, which his wife operated.
w. w McMurdle of Chicago stood
by and watched his place of business
"a large eating house, and a Ford
truck owned by him reduced to ashes.
Mr. Heth, one of the concession
owners, had a 1925 C. o. D. shipment
of stock delivered to him Tuesday
night. He paid for it, and last night
watched the flames consume It, as
they Tapped up his two blanket and
cupie booths.
Carl Zwanzig Jr., who was running
a concession booth. was called shortly
after he retired to help the watchman
search to find the source of smoke.
Unable to find where the smoke was
coming from Mr. Zwanzig returned to
bed. A short time later he was rous-
ed from his sleep by an alarm that
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