Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-02-07
$4,000 BLAZE ATTACKS
DR.. BURROWS FLAT
BUILDING
ORIGIN A MYSTERY
CAUSE OF DAMAGING CONFLA.
GRAFTON UNSoLVED FLAMES
ATTACK BASEMENT AT TIME
WHEN THERE WAS NO FIRE IN
FURNACE, WHICH WAS BEING
REPAIRED.

A mysterious blaze of an unknown
origin, but which Is supposed to have
started in the basement, caused dam
ages approximating $4,000 this morn.
ing about ll:15 o'clock at the Bur.
rows apartments on Columbus street
The tenants, DR.. J. l.. Carter and
family, who occupy the first floor,
Professor w. A. Tydeman. his grand
mother, Mrs, Mary Kellogg, and sister
Agnes, one the second floor, and Ms.
Elsie Orr, who rooms on the third
floor, We're all forced to fee from the
burning building. being unable to take
with them to safety any of their va.
uables or personal belongings.
Boiler Out Of Repair.
What caused the flame is a mystery
yet to be solved. Because of some
broken apparatus on the boiler which
heats the building a fire was not
started this morning and the tenants
were forced to burn their iirepaces
in the rooms The broken part of the
boiler was taken off this morning to
be repaired AT that time the work.
men nor any Of the tenants suspected
that a fire was to break out within
the next few minutes. DR.. Burrows
was present when the boiler was being
repaired and then started for his Of
fee in the Central Life building. He
had not reached the Clifton hotel
when he was informed that the fiat
building was in flames
Willis Dugan, employed as handy
man about the building, discovered
the fire. He went to the cellar short
ly after IL o'clock and saw the en-
tire basement was in flames. He not,
fed those living in the building and
the fire department was summoned.
BY the time the fremen arrived the
flames had worked their way up the
side walls and partitions on the south
side of the building and huge clouds
of smoke poured from the three
stories of the building Flames leaped
out of the basement, and it was
feared that the firemen would be I'M
able to check them
Smoke lmpedes Firemen.
Because Of the thick smoke the
tiremen were unable to enter the
basement. Two leads of hose were
used and the water was Immediately
turned into the basement through the
windows. The flames there seemed
to have been checked Upon further
investigation it was discovered that
they had worked their way up the par
titions and in between the floors and
the ceilings. In order to get to them
members of the department had to
chop large holes in the walls and the
oors. Not until about 1890 We're the
fremen sure that the flames had been
fully extinguished
In the basement considerable dam
age was done The sidewalks and all
Of the wooden construction were burn
ed and charred. A large coal pile
near the boiler also caught fire and
is supposed to have caused much of
the smoke which poured from the
building.
First Floor Suffers Worst.
The floor occupied by DR., Carter
and family suffered the most damage
The flames broke through the walls
and ceiling, burning and scorching
them badly, while water also caused
considerable damage. There was no
chance to rescue any of the furniture
from the building, therefore a great
deal of it was ruined by water and fall
ing plaster.
On the second floor considerable
damage was also done, mostly by
water and smoke, while little or no
damage was done to the third floor.
This afternoon DR.. Burrows said he
carried $1,000 insurance on the build.
ing.
100000 Highland Park Fire.
Highland Park, ILL.,, Feb. Fire
causing a loss estimated at 100000
destroyed three buildings and damag-
ed several others in the business dis
trict here late last night Firemen
from Waukegan, Lake Forest. Fort
Sheridan, and Winnetka fought the
flames. The Waukegan department
made the twelve mile run to Highland
Park i'm nineteen minutes.