Evening Republican, Volume 14, Number 79, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1910 — COSTLY FIRE BURNS WATSON HUMES’ HOME. [ARTICLE]

COSTLY FIRE BURNS WATSON HUMES’ HOME.

One of the Best Farm Residences In 'Union Township Consumed by Flames Friday Night. - The farm residence of J. W. Humes, % mile west of Alx on the south side of the road, was burned to the ground Friday evening. The fire started at about 8 o’clock and made quick work of burning the residence down. Mrs. Humes’ father, Mel Garriott, was at the house, and expecting to get up early the next morning to start to Chicago, the family had started to go to bed at about 8 o’clock. Mr. Humes had removed his shoes when an explosion occurred and almost instantly the house became enveloped in flames. One of the children was already asleep in a roon up stairs and Mr. Humes hastened up there to get her. He was none too soon, for the flames had already broken into the room the child occupied. Only one more trip was made upstairs and only one featherbed was rescued from the upstairs apartments. Attention was given to saving things from down stairs, but the work had to be abandoned in a short time owing to the rapid spread of the flames. Mr. Humes did not take time to put on his shoes and when he was carrying things out from the house, he stepped on broken glass and quite badly cut one of his feet. His shoes and the shoes of his children were burned as well as practically all their clothing. __ The house was a good dwelling, erected 12 years ago by John Humes, father of J. W. Humes, and was splendidly built. It was a large house and one of the best residences in that part of the county. It was completely razed, as .was also the windmill and well house. = The loss to the house was fully $1,700 and the contents that were destroyed were probably worth SSOO or S7OO. Insurance in the sum of SBOO was carried On the house and some insurance on the household effects. What caused the explosion is unknown. There was a gasoline lighting system on the first* floor, but this was taken out intact and the Are and explosion occurred in the upper part of the house. Mr. Humes was at the scene of the fire this morning, and was able to be around with soft soled shoes on, but his feet are reported to have been quite severely cut.