Free trader-journal and Ottawa fair dealer. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1920-1927, 1922-08-12
THIRTEEN FAMILIES ARE
ROUTED FROM BEDS
AT MIDNIGHT
BLOCK ENDANGERED
MURPHY ESTABLI SHMENT PRAC-
TlCAtlY GUTTED AND STOCK
ALMOST TOTALLY DESTROYED
DURING BLAZE LAST NIGHT.

More than half hundred persons,
members of thirteen families, were
routed into the loop streets shortly
before midnight last night, when the
Murphy department store was gutted
by fire of unknown origin, which for
time threatened to destroy the en-
tire Colwell block. The authorities
are conducting a thorough investiga
tion into the blaze in a hope of as.
certaining its origin.
Practically all of the occupants of
the building were asleep at the time
the blaze occurred, and We're forced
to fee to the street without even
taking time to dress. The blaze de-
stroyed all the stock Of the Murphy
store, which Is valued at between
$4,000 and $4,000. and damaged the
Colwell building, in which the store
is located to the extent of almost
$4,000
Routs Neiehbors From Beds.
The fire was discovered at 11:35
by Curtain b, Calhoun, 1i9 West
Jackson street, who operates a pop
corn wagon at the corner of Washing
ton park Mr. Calhoun. after run
ming home and telling his wife to-
summon the fire department, made
his way through the corridors lead
ing to the living apartments on the
second floor OF the Colwell building,
and aroused the families living there
and seeing that everyone reached
safety.
When the alarm was turned in the
entire interior of the store was a.
mass of flames, from the office in the
rear, to the small opening over the
front windows, The panes of glass
over the display windows, it is said,
had started to crack from the heat
before the department arrived. The
firemen had to break out the win
dows at the door and in the windows
in the rear before they could get
inside to battle the flames. Even then
the heat was of such intensity that
they could not get in the building for
some time, but had to work from
the street and alley
The blaze is said to have burned
peculiarly. following the top OF some
cases and garments around the side
of the room, but not spreading down
the garments.
Proprietor Asleep at Home.
J. J. Murphy, the proprietor of theI
store, was summoned from his room
at the home of DR.. Edward Kelly, on
Columbus street, and Chief of Police
Ben Ford was called from his home.
Mr. Murphy told the officers that
an oil can belonged to the store, ana
was used to keep a small amount OF
kerosene in, for some lamps which
had been used one night when the
electric lights refused to burn.
Owner Stumped by Blaze.
He was unable to account for the
fire He had visited the store after
the dinner hour last night, ARRANGING
the stock for a sale today, and had
aloo attended n nicture show. Att
$40 o'clock he entered the building
and taking his travelling bag which
he had left there during the day,
went to his home and went to bed.
AT that time there was no trace OF
fire and the store was apparently in
its usual condition. The first he
knew of the blaze was when he was
awakened at 80 by a call from the
police, notifying him that his place
of business was burning.
Praise Department.
Excellent work Of the department
kept the blaze from spreading to any
of the other store rooms or the sec-I
ond floor of the building. The Sec
ond food and a number of the liv-
ing rooms were damage by smoke,
but not by fire or water
All of the stock of the store was
ruined the garments which were not
scorched or burned being badly dam
aged by the smoke and water.
One authority today state that he
believed the blaze might have start
ed at any one of three places where
1t was burning freely while another
declared he believed it started be-
meath a counter in the rear of the
store, amid a pile of boxes and de-
bris.
A slight delay was caused in get
ting to work battling the flames, when
the fire hydrant nearest the store re-
fused to work. and the hose had to
be stretched to a hydrant a block
away The hydrant near the store
had been struck some time ago, but
il was not believed that il had been
damaged.
Murphy Owns Chain of Stores.
The Murphy store here was Open
: ed last spring by ]. j. Murphy of De