Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 January 1910 — REHABILITATES THE RUINS OF DYNAMITED HOUSE. [ARTICLE]

REHABILITATES THE RUINS OF DYNAMITED HOUSE.

McCoy Residence Being Pnt Into Fine Condition by Earle Reynolds and Nellie Donegan, the Skaters. The T. J. McCoy residence, which was dynamited some five or six years ago, and which stood as wrecked until purchased a few weeks since by Earle Reynolds and Nellie Donegan, the famous roller skaters, has been largely brought back Into its original shape by George Mustard, the carpenter, who is working under the direction of Mr. Reynolds. Iron rods have been run through the building at the floors in both directions and the side walls which were sprung outward when the explosion occurred were drawn plum. The floors have been leveled and the Inner walls straightened and Mr. MUstard will proceed with the work as rapidly as the weather will permit. Plasterers will begin work shortly and practically the entire house will have to be plastered and pan of It lathed. After the destruction Mr. McCoy had the windows taken out of the house and sent to Lafayette, and this was quite wise as doubtless they would all have been broken by vandals. The windows will now be shipped back and a new bay window will be erected on the east side of the house and save for the omission of one fire place in the front east parlor the house will be just as it was before the night of the wreck. Persons who would be above such work of depredation can scarcely believe the extent of the damage done to the house since the explosion.

A fine front door with massive lock was rained because some combined thief vandal , had. come with an ax and cut out-the lock, ruining the entire door and entailing an additional expense of probably $26. The weights had been cut out of the window sills and carried away, the thief doing great damage to the house in his exploitation. Inside the house much depredation was accomplished doubtless by boys and it is safe to say that ah least S3OO damage had been done to the house since the original effort to destroy it. It will probably cost $1,500 to reinstate the house to its former state, which will provide for new hardwood floors down stairs, the redressing of the stairway lumber and its reinstatenient in the reception room. Another' SSOO will be expended in putting in a heating plant and considerable more in plumbing and bathroom fixtures. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds are intending to fix the property up in a very fine way and it will probably stand them about $4,500 when completed, but they will have a property actually worth SIO,OOO, for the barn could not now be erected for less than $3,500. There is about two acres of ground in the place. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds left Friday for Omaha, Neb., where they will open an engagement Sunday. From there they go to Seattle and they will be on the Pacific coast until the first of May. They have not arranged for the rent of the house, but have several applications for it. While seme Rensselaer party may get it, it is not improbable that it will be rented to a Chicago man who will bring his family here to remain during the spring* summer and fall months. It-is fortunate that the property was purchased by Mr. Reynolds and is being repaired, for another year or two would have seen it almost hopelessly destroyed.